The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State will on Wednesday conduct a fresh state congress to elect members of its State Working Committee (SWC).
The exercise is scheduled to take place at the International Culture and Event Centre (The Dome) in Akure, where delegates from the 18 local government areas of the state are expected to participate.
The decision to hold a new congress was contained in a letter jointly signed by the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to the letter obtained in Akure, the fresh congress follows an earlier order by the Akure Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria restraining both the APC and INEC from conducting the previously scheduled state congress.
The party explained that the issues which led to the court injunction had been resolved internally, allowing preparations to proceed for a 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 INEC and our party from conducting the state congress earlier scheduled for March 3, 2026.
“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,” the letter stated.
It added that the rescheduled congress would now hold on March 11, 2026, by 10:00 a.m. at the Dome in Akure.
A former spokesperson of the party in the state, Alex Kalejaye, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report, while a text message sent to him had yet to receive a response.
However, a party chieftain who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the authenticity of the letter, noting that party leaders across the state had been invited to attend 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,” he said.
The party leader added that stakeholders from across Ondo State are expected at the congress, which is aimed at producing new executives to oversee the affairs of the ruling party in the state.
The party also apologised for any inconvenience caused by the change of date and urged INEC to take note of the development.
The planned congress comes amid legal disputes over the conduct of the party’s congresses in the state.
Earlier, Justice Toyin Adegoke of the Federal High Court in Akure issued an interim order directing parties to maintain the status quo after aggrieved members challenged the process.
The suit, marked FHC/AK/CS/25/2016, was filed by Lawrence Oladimeji Adebayo and seven other applicants, who claimed to be representing 7,427 APC members allegedly excluded from the party’s 2026 ward and local government congresses.
The applicants are challenging the ward congress held on February 18, 2026, and the local government congress conducted on February 21, 2026, as well as the state congress earlier slated for March 3.
Despite the court order, the APC had earlier proceeded with a state congress where Babatunde Kolawole, Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Legislative Matters and Party Affairs, emerged as the party’s state chairman.
