A buyer of the Abuja Electrical energy Distribution Firm, Festus Onifade, has urged a Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja to cease the Nigerian Electrical energy Regulatory Fee from persevering with with the implementation of multi-year tariff order 2024 which labeled electrical energy customers into Band A to E.
On April 3, the NERC elevated the electrical energy tariff for purchasers receiving 20 hours of energy day by day.
The electrical energy tariff for Band A prospects was elevated from N68 per kilowatt-hour to N255/KWh.
The NERC afterwards instructed the 11 Distribution Corporations to reveal their lists of Band A prospects, who’re entitled to obtain a minimal of 20 hours of day by day energy provide.
Onifade, a lawyer in a go well with marked FHC/ABJ/CS/492/2024, urged the court docket to halt the classification and the tariff hike.
He particularly mentioned the classification was a breach of his elementary rights and people of different prospects, urging the court docket to declare it unconstitutional.
His reliefs partly learn, “A declaration that the Coverage of classification of the Claimant and different Shoppers by the first Defendant into band A, B, C, D and E is a breach of the Claimant’s and different Shoppers elementary Proper to freedom from discrimination as enshrined within the African and Human and Individuals Proper’s and the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and subsequently unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful, null and void.
“An order restraining NERC, AEDC and the Lawyer-Common of the Federation from persevering with with the coverage of classification of Nigerian prospects to Band A, B, C, D and E by their location and rising their tariffs pending the listening to and dedication of the substantive go well with.”
“An order of this Honourable Courtroom perpetually restraining the Defendants, their privies, brokers and different folks from giving impact and persevering with with the implementation of Multi-12 months Tariff Order 2024 and enhance within the of costs of Electrical energy and downgrading of the Claimant and different Prospects by classification into Bands A, B, C, D, E forthwith,” he added.
In an affidavit he deposed to, Onifade acknowledged that the classification amounted to discrimination towards himself and different prospects not residing in intellectual areas.
He contended with the classification that prospects residing in much less privileged areas, together with himself, would have a decrease energy provide.
Onifade mentioned, “By advantage of this classification, the primary Defendant labeled the second Defendant’s Prospects dwelling within the excessive brown city areas of Maitama, Asokoro, Aso villa to Band A to get pleasure from electrical energy provide for 20 hours and above.
“By the identical classification, the primary Defendant labeled the Claimant and different second Defendant’s Prospects dwelling in much less privileged areas to Band B, C D and E thereby consigning these classes of consumers to a perpetual state of decrease, restricted electrical energy provide of 16 hours for purchasers on band B, 12 hours and above for Prospects on Band C, 8 hours and above for Prospects on band D and 6 hours and above for Prospects on Band E respectively.”
No date has been mounted for listening to of the matter.
