The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State has vowed to go ahead with the state congress slated for Tuesday, despite a restraining order of the Federal High Court.

The National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the party, Mr Isaacs Kekemeke, stated that the state congress would hold as scheduled, as the party was not aware of any court order.

“I’m a lawyer. I don’t rely on social media for information. The national headquarters of the party has yet to notify me as a zonal chairman or inform the congress committee that they have received any document, and there is no directive from the national headquarters.

“I told you we are a party of law and order. If we have instructions or directives from the national secretariat, it will be obeyed,” he said.

Earlier on Monday, the Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, restrained the APC from conducting a state congress scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

The court also nullified the ward and local government congresses of the party held on February 18 and 21, respectively.

In an ex parte order, Justice Toyin Adegoke restrained the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission from proceeding with the congress pending the determination of a substantive suit.

The APC had earlier announced March 3 as the date for its state congress nationwide, and arrangements had been concluded to hold the exercise in Ondo State.

In a statement signed by the party’s Ondo State Publicity Secretary, Mr Alex Kalejaye, on Monday, the party said the exercise was approved by its National Working Committee.

“In line with the constitution and guidelines for the conduct of nationwide congresses, and as approved by the National Working Committee of our party, the Ondo State chapter cordially invites statutory delegates, critical stakeholders and party leaders to the State Congress of Ondo State APC,” Kalejaye stated.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adedayo Adedeji, filed an ex parte application on behalf of aggrieved party members led by Lawrence Adebayo and 7,427 others.

The APC and INEC are the defendants in the suit.

Ruling on the application, Justice Adegoke granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, acting through its officers, agents, assigns, successors, representatives, and all persons claiming through or under it, from acknowledging, accepting, recognising, giving effect to, or in any manner validating the purported ward and local government congresses conducted by the APC on February 18 and 21, 2026, and the proposed state congress.

The court further ordered both respondents to maintain the status quo ante bellum before the conduct of the ward, local government, and state congresses, and not to take any action that could prejudice the hearing and determination of the interlocutory injunction.

Earlier reports indicated that, in line with directives from the national secretariat, the APC held ward and local government congresses across the federation.

In Ondo State, however, the ward congress in Idanre Local Government Area turned violent, as some political opponents were attacked.

The state police confirmed the death of two persons, while several others were injured.

Thirteen people were arrested in connection with the violence, according to a statement by the state police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh.

A day before the Idanre violence, the Akure office of the party was attacked by thugs who beat up the state chairman, Ade Adetimehin.

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Six members of the House of Representatives in Osun State elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have announced their defection to the Accord Party.

The members announced their defection into the Accord Party on Monday at the stakeholders meeting of the Accord Party held in Osogbo.

The member presenting Boluwaduro/Ifedayo/Ila Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Clement Akanni, who spoke onbehalf of the defectors, predicted a landslide victory for Governor Ademola Adeleke in the August 15 poll, and charged members of the Accord Party to vote en mass and monitor the voting process.

“I want to ask, will it be easy for one person to pick up a gun and be killing other people? After voting, stay behind and monitor your votes. Before you start voting, check result sheet, check ballot papers and be sure they are complete.

“After voting, with our projections, 80% votes will go to Adeleke, while the other party will get 20%. We will win and all of us will be alive to witness it,” Akanni said.

Announcing their defection into the Accord Party, the Federal lawmaker added, “On behalf of Mahruf Adewale representing Osogbo Federal Constituency, Bamidele Salam, Ede Federal Constituency, Soji Adetunji Ikirun Federal Constituency, Mudashiru Lukman Alani, Iwo Federal Constituency, Lanre Oladebo Irewole Isokan Federal Constituency, all of us from today have moved to the Accord Party.”

Addressing the gathering, Governor Adeleke, said his defection into Accord Party followed a spiritual guidance he received when PDP was in turmoil.

He further said, “I love PDP but I have to leave to escape been trapped for my reelection. I confided in some of our leaders that I trust, we started consulting and praying to God over it. We were guided into Accord Party. You see that the party is the first on the ballot.”

He urged his supporters to keep supporting him and ensure they work hard for his victory in the forthcoming governorship poll.

“You should vote massively for Accord Party, then victory is guaranteed for us.

“I thank the family of PDP because I am part of the family, I thank you all for the endorsement of today and accept it whole heartedly. I want to thank Accord Party for accepting me,” Adeleke said.

Also speaking at the event which had in attendance large supporters of the governor, top government functionaries, among others, ex Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, said Adeleke would win the governorship poll and demanded dedication from his supporters towards a victorious outing.

The defection of the five PDP lawmakers into Accord, has made the Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Dr. Lere Oyewumi, representing Osun West Senatorial District, the only lawmaker elected on the platform of PDP in the state.

Adeleke had in December, 2025 joined the Accord Party and picked the governorship ticket of the party.

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Netizens have begun registering fake names, National Identification Numbers, and incorrect pictures barely 24 hours after the African Democratic Congress commenced free nationwide online membership registration.

The party on Sunday unveiled a new digital portal as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, instructing existing members to update and revalidate their details in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the guidelines of INEC.

However, the membership registration has been marred by several incorrect details, highlighting the porousness of the exercise, displaying cards for President Bola Tinubu, the former Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the United States President, Donald Trump, and a host of others as members.

Reacting, an X user who identified as Maknun Alli-Oluwafuyi said, “I just registered my dog as a member of the ADC,” while displaying the membership card with card number LA-KOS-IS-53442.

Another user, who simply identified as Dr Dipo Awojide said, “Always boasting about technology. Always beating their chest about their technical expertise. But Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping can register as ADC members on their registration website. “We want to save Nigeria.” Fake. All fake!”

“I registered all Arsenal players and managers for the ADC membership. My goal is to register all Premier League players and managers, then I’ll move to La Liga,” one user who identified as Ansem Edet claimed on X.

One user who identified as IJK wrote, “ The ADC membership registration is a scam. The ADC membership registration has opened the door to potential rigging or manipulation of the party’s presidential primaries.

“I just registered using fictitious information as shown in the attached card.

1 You can register with a fictitious name. 2. You can register with a fictitious NIN. 3. You can register with a fictitious phone number. 4. No verification is done on the NIN. 5. No verification is done on the phone number.”

“These serious security lapses leave this window open for manipulation of the party’s presidential primaries that would be based on this membership registration.”

Meanwhile, the former Lagos State Governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, countered, “The recent attempts to mock the massive online registration drive of the ADC are honestly laughable. I understand the ‘city boys’ need a coping mechanism to accommodate the frightening numbers of ordinary people registering with the opposition.

“Let them keep tweeting while you keep registering. Worth noting, however, is that the online registration process is only the first step. The real confirmation happens at the ward level. That’s how structure works. That’s how credibility is built.

“So by all means, it will be such a delight to see Trump and Asiwaju show up to validate their membership at their respective wards. Imagine the photo ops. In the meantime, while they are busy drafting punchlines, let’s keep building our numbers.

Keep calm. Keep registering. A máa pàdé lọ́jọ́ ìbò.”

When contacted on Monday, the party’s spokesperson, Abdullahi, via WhatsApp, shared screenshots of fake registrations from the All Progressives Congress process, including slips listing Adolf Hitler, Donald Trump, and Benjamin Netanyahu as members.

He further wrote, “Hope you saw this too. It happened during APC registration as well. But we have taken corrective measures; you can only register now with live photos.”

However, our correspondent, who registered with fake details and fabricated a NIN at the time of this report, informed the spokesman that the live photos option could still be manipulated by covering faces or showing objects to be captured.

Abdullahi replied, “Thank you, I will pass this on to the technical team.”

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