Justice Abdullahi Muhammed Liman of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, yesterday, affirmed that the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the recognized national leadership of the party.

The decision of the court followed the granting of all reliefs in an application brought before it by the PDP, in May this year, seeking recognition of the caretaker committee produced by the National Convention which held in Port Harcourt.

Delivering judgement on the suit, which lasted for about an hour, trial Judge, Justice Liman, held that Senator Ali Modi Sheriff became chairman of the party through appointment and not by vote.

The trial judge, who submitted that the 1st and 2nd defendants (Sheriff and Prof Wale Oladipo), refused to accept the motions moved at the National Convention, further held that the case before him is not a duplicity of other suits as the plaintiffs are not the same.

Justice Limam, further held that the claimant (PDP) did not in any way contravene the rules of court, pointing out that the plaintiff met the constitutional provisions of the party.

In granting all the reliefs sought, the trial judge, also held that the defence counsel failed to establish that the claimant contravened the rules of court. Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff yesterday insisted that he remains the national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in spite of a judgement by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which sacked him and recognized the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee.

Sheriff while briefing journalists on the judgement declared that he has already filed an appeal.

But Sen. Makarfi, who expressed mixed feelings over the judgement, said there was no winner or loser in the  matter.

He, therefore, urged Sheriff and his followers to return to the fold so that they could move the party forward.