Court bars Ali Modu Sheriff from parading himself as PDP Chairman

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered the reinstated National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

The court granted the interim restraining injunction on Tuesday, May 24.

The court also barred Adewale Oladipo from parading himself as the national secretary of the party.

The two party leaders were removed from office at the PDP national convention held on Saturday, May 21, and a former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi, was appointed to replace Sheriff.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had earlier on Tuesday nullified Makarfi's appointment, and ordered the reinstatement of Sheriff.

The court in Port Harcourt has however mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Makarfi committee 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.

The court also granted a restraining order on all members of the party’s National Working Committee from receiving nominations 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.

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The court also stressed that INEC should not recognise Sherrif and 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.