The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State is set to conduct a fresh state congress on Wednesday to elect members of the party’s State Working Committee (SWC), following the resolution of a legal dispute that earlier halted the exercise.
The congress will take place at the International Culture and Event Centre, popularly known as The Dome, in Akure, with delegates from the 18 local government areas of the state expected to participate.
The decision to organise a new congress was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The correspondence was jointly signed by the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and the party’s National Secretary, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru.
According to a copy of the letter obtained in Akure, the fresh exercise followed an order issued by the Akure Division of the Federal High Court restraining both the APC and INEC from conducting the earlier congress scheduled for March 3, 2026.
The party, however, said the issues that led to the court injunction had been resolved through internal dispute resolution mechanisms, clearing the path for the new congress.
“You will recall that there was an ex-parte order from the Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, on Monday, March 2, 2026, restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and our party from conducting the state congress earlier scheduled for March 3, 2026,” the letter stated.
“Please note that since the order was granted, we have activated our internal mechanisms and have been able to amicably resolve the issues leading to the ex-parte order by the Federal High Court.
“Consequently, the congress for Ondo State will now hold on March 11, 2026, by 10:00 a.m. at the International Culture and Events Centre (The Dome), Akure.”
A party chieftain confirmed the authenticity of the letter, noting that party leaders across the state had been invited to participate in the exercise.
“It’s true. A fresh congress will hold. I have been invited as a party leader from Akoko, and I will be coming with my people to participate,” the source said.
He added that stakeholders and party leaders from across the state were expected to attend the congress, which is aimed at producing new executives to manage the affairs of the ruling party in Ondo State.
The APC also apologised for any inconvenience the change of date might cause and urged INEC to take note of the development.
The development comes amid lingering legal disputes surrounding the conduct of the party’s congresses in the state, which prompted the court to direct all parties to maintain the status quo pending further hearing.
Justice Toyin Adegoke of the Federal High Court in Akure had earlier restrained INEC from acknowledging, accepting, recognising, or validating the ward and local government congresses allegedly conducted by the APC in the state.
The interim order was granted following 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 said they were acting for themselves and on behalf of 7,427 APC members in Ondo State allegedly excluded from the party’s 2026 ward and local government congresses.
Joined as respondents in the suit are INEC and the APC.
The applicants are challenging the ward congress held on February 18, 2026, and the local government congress conducted on February 21, 2026. They also opposed the state congress earlier scheduled for March 3, 2026.
Despite the court order, the APC had earlier proceeded with a state congress during which Babatunde Kolawole, Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Legislative Matters and Party Affairs, emerged as the party’s chairman in the state.
