Court bars Sheriff as PDP Chair, orders recognition of Markarfi led caretaker committee

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted an interim injunction restraining the immediate past National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff  and Professor Adewale Oladipo who were removed from office at the PDP National Convention held on Saturday May 21, 2016, from parading themselves as National officers of the Party pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party.


According to a statement personally signed by the presiding judge, Justice A. M. Liman, the court  granted a restraining order on any member of the National Working Committee of the PDP who was removed from office by the Party’s National Convention in Port Harcourt from receiving nominations and or submitting names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as officers or candidates of the PDP in whatever capacity pending the hearing and  determination of the Motion on Notice brought by the Party.

In addition, INEC was restrained by the Court  from according or continuing to accord any recognition to Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, Professor Adewale Oladipo or any or all members of the National Working Committee  of the PDP removed from office at the Party’s National Convention in Port Harcourt, as officers or organs of the PDP pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

The National Caretaker Committee of the PDP headed by Sen. Ahmed Markarfi, former Governor of Kaduna State, also got a boost with an order of the Court mandating INEC to recognise it in all matters pertaining the conduct of Primary Elections for Political Offices and the submission of the PDP List of Candidates for any elections to be conducted by INEC pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.