The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has insisted that its state congress will proceed on Tuesday despite an order of the Federal High Court restraining the exercise.
The party’s National Vice Chairman (South-West), Isaacs Kekemeke, said on Monday that the congress would hold as planned, maintaining that no official communication of any court order had been received from the party’s national headquarters.
Kekemeke, a lawyer, dismissed reports of the injunction, saying he does not rely on social media for information.
He noted that neither he nor members of the congress committee had been formally notified of any directive halting the process.
He added that the party would comply with lawful instructions from its national secretariat if properly served, stressing that the APC remains committed to the rule of law.
Earlier, the Federal High Court sitting in Akure had restrained the APC from conducting the state congress scheduled for March 3, 2026.
The court also nullified the ward and local government congresses held on February 18 and 21.
In an ex parte ruling, Justice Toyin Adegoke barred the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission from proceeding with the exercise pending the hearing of a substantive suit.
The suit was instituted by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adedayo Adedeji, on behalf of aggrieved members led by Lawrence Adebayo and thousands of others, who challenged the validity of the earlier congresses.
Justice Adegoke directed both defendants to maintain the status quo before the conduct of the ward, local government and proposed state congresses, warning against actions that could affect the determination of the pending motion.
The crisis in Ondo APC has been deepened by violence that trailed the ward congress in Idanre Local Government Area, where two persons were confirmed dead and several others injured.
The police said 13 suspects were arrested, while the party’s state secretariat in Akure was also attacked, leaving the state chairman, Ade Adetimehin, assaulted.