Dr. Akin Olawale Oluwadayisi, a distinguished electoral law scholar, Senior Lecturer & Ag. HoD, Jurisprudence and International Law at Adekunle Ajasin University, and prominent legal commentator in Ondo State politics, has congratulated Hon. Kolawole Babatunde on his unopposed emergence as the new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State during the peaceful state congress held on March 3, 2026, at the International Centre and Event Centre (The DOME) in Akure.
Hon. Babatunde, a former House of Representatives member for Akoko South West/South East Federal Constituency (2015–2019) and until recently Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Legislative Matters and Party Affairs, was elected alongside 35 other State Working Committee members through a consensus process affirmed by delegates.
The congress proceeded amid Governor Aiyedatiwa’s presence and calls for discipline, internal democracy, and cohesion to strengthen the party’s position ahead of future elections.
In his statement, Dr. Oluwadayisi hailed the outcome as a step toward consolidating progressive governance and the Renewed Hope Agenda in Ondo State.
He appealed earnestly to all party members, leaders, stakeholders, and any lingering factions to embrace genuine unity, bury hatchets from past tensions (including echoes of secretariat incidents and supremacy debates), and fully rally behind Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s leadership for collective advancement and electoral success.
Crucially, Dr. Oluwadayisi addressed the controversy surrounding a Federal High Court ex parte order (issued March 2, 2026, by Justice Toyin Adegoke in Akure) that purportedly restrained INEC and the APC from proceeding with the congress, validating prior ward/LGA exercises, or recognizing outcomes pending a motion on notice.
With due respect, he submitted that the court erred in law by entertaining the suit and granting the injunction, as such matters pertain squarely to the internal affairs of a political party.
He emphasised that it is a MUST for INEC to attend party congress regardless of the circumstances. Citing section 82(3) Electoral Act 2026:
(3) The Commission, with or without prior notice to the political party, shall attend and observe any convention, congress, conference or meeting which is convened by a political party for the purpose of
(a) electing members of its executive committees or other governing bodies;
(b) electing candidates for an election at any level; and
(c) approving a merger with any other registered political party.
He also referenced Section 83 of the Electoral Act 2026 altering the provision in the context of internal party monitoring and disputes and Section 83(5) Electoral Act 2026 which states that: Subject to subsection (3), no Court in Nigeria shall entertain jurisdiction over any suit or matter pertaining to the internal affairs of a political party.
Subsection (6): Where such action is brought in negation of this provision
(a) no interim or interlocutory injunction shall be entertained by the Court, but the Court shall suspend its ruling and deliver it at the stage of final judgment and shall give accelerated hearing to the matter;
(b) the Court shall, at the conclusion of the matter, impose costs of not less than ₦10,000,000.00 on the counsel who filed the action and not less than ₦10,000,000.00 on the Plaintiff/Applicant, in addition to payment to the Commission of any costs, including solicitors’ fees incurred by it where joined as a party.
Dr. Oluwadayisi emphasized that the congress is legal and legitimate centered on electing state executives through internal processes falls within the realm of party internal affairs, over which courts are ousted from jurisdiction under Section 83(5) EA 2026. The grant of an interim injunction contravenes subsection (6)(a), which prohibits such relief and mandates deferred adjudication with punitive costs on filers and counsel. He noted that INEC’s absence did not invalidate the exercise, as the APC proceeded in line with its constitution and the Electoral Act’s framework for party autonomy in such matters.
This intervention by Dr. Oluwadayisi adds intellectual and legal heft to the narrative of party consolidation under Governor Aiyedatiwa, positioning the new chairman’s tenure as one of transparent, inclusive leadership free from division.
It also underscored broader calls for adherence to statutory limits on judicial interference in party affairs to preserve internal democracy and avoid unnecessary disruptions.
“Congratulations to Hon. Kolawole Babatunde on this elevation may his chairmanship foster the unity Dr. Oluwadayisi advocates, ensuring APC’s continued strength in Ondo State under Governor Aiyedatiwa’s visionary leadership,” Oluwadayisi said.