The Federal High Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has halted the state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scheduled to hold on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Justice Toyin Bolaji Adegoke granted the order in an ex parte ruling, restraining both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC from proceeding with the planned congress.
The order followed an ex parte application moved by Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, on behalf of aggrieved party members led by Lawrence Adebayo, alongside 7,427 other APC members.
Ruling on the motion, which was supported by an affidavit of extreme urgency, Justice Adegoke granted an interim injunction.
The injunction restrains INEC and the APC, acting through their officers, agents, assigns, successors-in-title, representatives, or any persons acting on their behalf, from “acknowledging, accepting, recognising, giving effect to, or in any manner whatsoever validating the purported ward and local government congresses conducted by the second respondent on 18 and 21 February 2026 in Ondo State, and the proposed state congress scheduled for 3 March 2026 or any other date.”
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The restriction will remain in effect pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
The court also granted a further order restraining the APC, its officers, agents, servants, privies, assigns, successors-in-title, representatives, and all persons acting through or under it from “conducting, holding, proceeding with, or concluding any state congress in Ondo State on March 3, 2026 or any other date, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”
In addition, the court directed the respondents to maintain the status quo ante bellum before the conduct of the disputed congresses held on February 18 and 21, 2026, as well as the proposed state congress scheduled for 3 March 2026.
The court further ordered that no steps be taken that could prejudice the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
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