Deep Dive: Ondo APC Group Criticizes Court Order on Party Congress, Cites Electoral Act

The Federal High Court in Akure issued an ex parte order on Monday restraining the APC (All Progressives Congress, Nigeria's ruling political party) and INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission, the body responsible for conducting elections and overseeing party activities) from holding the state congress in Ondo State. This action was taken under the court's authority to grant interim injunctions pending a full hearing of a substantive suit. The APC defied the order and conducted the congress anyway, prompting criticism from the Ondo APC Arise Movement, an internal pressure group within the party. Nigerian electoral law, particularly the Electoral Act 2026, limits judicial interference in internal party affairs such as congresses, which are mechanisms for electing party executives at ward, local government, and state levels. Precedents exist where courts have restrained parties from actions deemed unlawful, but defiance of court orders raises questions about rule of law adherence. The Arise Movement's statement, signed by its chairman Yemi Patrick Adetoyinbo and secretary Odele Olatubosun, invokes these statutory limits to argue that courts should not meddle in such processes absent clear violations. This episode highlights tensions within the APC in Ondo State, a southwestern Nigerian state, where factional groups vie for control ahead of potential elections. Party congresses determine leadership structures that influence candidate nominations and resource allocation. The defiance could lead to further litigation, appeals, or INEC interventions, potentially invalidating outcomes and delaying party organization. For governance, such disputes underscore challenges in Nigeria's multi-party democracy, where internal party stability affects electoral preparedness. Stakeholders include party members, aspirants, and regulators like INEC. Outlook involves possible contempt proceedings against APC officials or nullification of the congress, impacting Ondo State's political landscape.