Court Halts APC State Congress In Ondo, Restrains INEC

The Federal High Court sitting in Akure has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or validating the Ward and Local Government Congresses allegedly conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State.

Justice T.B. Adegoke gave the interim order on Monday while ruling on a Motion Ex-Parte filed by aggrieved members of the party.

The suit, marked FHC/AK/CS/25/2016, was instituted by Lawrence Oladimeji Adebayo and seven other applicants, who sued for themselves and on behalf of 7,427 APC members in Ondo State said to have been excluded from the 2026 congresses of the party.

The respondents in the suit are INEC and the APC.

The applicants are challenging the Ward and Local Government Congresses purportedly held on February 18 and 21, 2026, as well as the planned State Congress scheduled for March 3, 2026.

After listening to counsel to the applicants, Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, who led Mustapha I. Abubakar, SAN, alongside other lawyers, and after reviewing the affidavit of extreme urgency and supporting exhibits, the court granted the interim reliefs sought.

Justice Adegoke ordered as follows:

An interim injunction restraining INEC, its officers and agents from acknowledging, accepting, recognising or validating the Ward and Local Government Congresses conducted in February 2026, as well as the proposed State Congress.

An interim injunction restraining the APC, its officers and agents from conducting or proceeding with the planned State Congress in Ondo State pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.

An order directing the parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum as it existed before the conduct of the disputed Ward and Local Government Congresses, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion.

The court subsequently adjourned the matter to March 26, 2026, for hearing of the Motion on Notice.

The applicants had alleged breaches of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, INEC regulations, as well as the APC Constitution and guidelines in the conduct of the congresses.