MultiChoice Nigeria Limited was placed under a restraining order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja, preventing them from raising their tariffs and the price of their goods and services, which were initially scheduled to take effect on May 1.
Ejiro Awaritoma, the applicant’s attorney, filed an ex-parte motion, and the three-member tribunal, led by Saratu Shafii, granted the temporary injunction. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
The tribunal, in a ruling, restrained Multi-Choice from going ahead with impending price increase schedule to take effect from May 1, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it.
“The 1st defendant is hereby restrained from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” Shafii declared.
She, therefore, directed all parties in the suit to appear before tribunal on Ma 7 at 10am for the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Eyes Of Lagos reports that Onifade, in the suit marked: CCPT/OP/2/2024, had dragged Multi-Choice Nigeria Ltd and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) before the tribunal.
In the suit filed on April 29, Onifade, also a legal practitioner, sought two orders.
These include, “an order of interim injunction of this honourable tribunal restraining the 1st defendant whether by themselves, her privies, assigns by whatsoever name called from going ahead with impending price increase schedule to take effect from 1st May, 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“An order restraining the 1st defendant from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”
Other members of the tribunal include Thomas Okosun and Dr. Umar Duhu.
Eyes Of Lagos reports that the company had, on April 1, 2022, hike the prices of all its packages.
