The three-member Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal presided over by Thomas Okosun has restrained Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to begin on April 1, 2022.
The tribunal which sat in Abuja gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by Festus Onifade, a legal practitioner, on behalf of himself and the Coalition of Nigeria Consumers.
Other members of the tribunal include Sola Salako Ajulo and Ibrahim EL-Yakubu.
In the suit marked: CCPT/OP/1/2022, Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission are 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.
The motion ex-parte filed by the applicants on March 29 was brought pursuant to Section 39 (1) & (2) of the FCCPC Act 2018; Order 26, Rule 5 (2), (3) & 26 Rule 6 (1) & (2) Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and Section 47(a), (b), (c), (d), of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018.
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The applicants had prayed for “an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant/respondent, either by itself, agents, representatives, officers or privies, howsoever described, from carrying out the impending increase in tariffs and cost of its products and services intended to take effect from 1st April, 2022, until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed before this tribunal.
“An order of the Honourable Tribunal mandating the 1st defendant/respondent to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“And for such further order or other orders as this Honourable Tribunal may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”
“The 1st defendant/respondent is hereby restrained, either by itself, agents, representatives, officers or privies, howsoever described, from carrying out the impending increase in tariffs and cost of its products and services intended to take effect from 1st April, 2022 until the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed before this Honourable Tribunal.
“The 1st defendant/respondent is hereby mandated to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” the tribunal ruled.
The matter was adjourned until April 11 for the hearing and determination of the motion on notice. The Honourable Tribunal therefore ruled that all parties in suit are to appear before it on the 11th day of April, 2022.
