A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday renewed an earlier order restraining the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) from implementing the new electricity tariff billed to be effective from June 1, 2015.
Justice Mohammed Idris, had in a ruling on an ex-parte application filed by a Lagos lawyer, Toluwani Yemi-Adebiyi, last week, restrained the NERC and the electricity distribution companies from effecting any increment in electricity tariff pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
When the matter came up for hearing, Adebiyi told the court that as directed, all the processes in the matter, including the enrolled order of court, had been served on the NERC.
He added that by the provisions of the rules of court, NERC had seven days to respond, but that the commission was yet to do so.
He said in as much as he would love to proceed, it would be fair to give the commission benefit of the doubt.
He, however, urged the court to renew the order, so as to preserve the subject matter of the suit.
In response, counsel to the NERC, Ifeanyi Umunna, said that the commission had complied with the interim orders of court.
He added that the NERC was in the process of appointing a counsel to defend the suit, and pleaded for more time to do so.
Justice Idris, in a short ruling, held that “the ex-parte order remains valid and subsisting”.
The matter was thereafter adjourned to July 9, 2015 for hearing.
