JUSTINE Okon Abang of the Fed­eral High Court, Abuja has reaf­firmed Ali Modu Sheriff as chairman and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with an attendant order for the Independent Electoral Com­mission, INEC to accord him the nec­essary recognition by accepting his nominees for the governorship elec­tions in Edo and Ondo states.

An enrolment order of the court in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/SC/2016, brought before him, the judge stated that the Ahmed Makarfi Caretaker Commit­tee lacks legitimacy in the eyes of the law, and cannot take any action on behalf of the PDP.

Justice Abang who had earlier asked Makarfi’s lawyers to leave his court had noted that the circum­stances of Makarfi’s emergence as a caretaker chairman of the PDP was both suspicious and in breach of ear­lier court orders.

While making references to earlier court rulings of May 12 and 20, 2016, as having foreclosed the emergence of new set of leaders for the party, Justice Abang stressed that Senator Ali Modu Sheriff remains the lawful chairman.

The judge ordered the Indepen­dent National Electoral Commission, INEC to accept nominations of candi­dates for the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states from the Sheriff leadership and not from any other person or persons or their proxies.