A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has granted an interim injunction restraining the Ali Modu Sheriff and Professor Wale Oladapo from parading themselves as national leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, pending the determination of the motion brought before it by the party.
Sheriff had been removed as the acting National Chairman of the PDP along with other members of the National Working Committee by a faction of the party at its National Convention in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
Following the move, a caretaker committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi was set up by the party.
The court also upheld the establishment of the caretaker committee.
The judgment by the FCH in Port Harcourt is, however, in conflict with that of the Federal High Court in Lagos, which declared the Makarfi-led caretaker committee illegal.
The FHC sitting in Port Harcourt in a judgement sheet marked Suit No. FHC/PH/CS/524/2016 and signed by Justice A.M. Liman, also granted restraining order on any member of the National Working Committee of the PDP that was dissolved at the said convention from receiving nominations or submitting names to the Independent National Electoral Commission as candidates or officers of the PDP in any capacity.
The Peoples Democratic Party, who is the plaintiff in the matter, had prayed the court to stop the immediate past national officers of the PDO, including Sheriff from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
While Sheriff and Oladipo are the first and second respondents respectively in the matter,  the INEC, the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Security are the third, fourth and fifth respondents respectively.
The court also granted an injunction retraining INEC from according or continuing to accord any recognition to Sheriff and Oladipo or any member of the National Working Committee of the PDP removed during the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt as officers, organs of the PDP pending the determination of the motion on notice.