Makarfi Dismisses FCT High Court Order On Sheriff

The Caretaker committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the Ex-Parte Order granted to Senator Ali Modu Sheriff by a Federal High Court, Abuja restricting INEC from accepting Candidates presented by the committee as null and void and of no effect because it was an “after thought”.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to only recognise candidates in Ondo and Edo states endorsed by the Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee, NWC.

The interim order followed a judgement delivered by Justice Okon Abang on a suit filed by two governorship aspirants of the PDP in Edo and Ondo states – Chief Benson Akingboye (Ondo) and Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma (Edo).

But in a statement Friday, the spokesman of the caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye dismissed the order as untenable.

“The Ex-Parte Order granted to Ali Modu Sheriff’s rebellious group yesterday by the Honourable Justice Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja restricting INEC from accepting Candidates for Edo and Ondo States 2016 Gubernatorial Elections from the PDP is of no effect, null and void. The PDP believes the Order was granted in error by his Lordship due to misrepresentation of facts by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his co-travelers” he said.