Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Socio- Economic Rights and Accountability Project and 302 Nigerians have filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the National Assembly over the recent hike in electricity tariff and fuel price.
This was made known in a statement by SERAP ’ s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare , titled ‘ SERAP sues Buhari , NASS , wants court to declare electricity tariff, fuel price hike illegal ’ .
The Federal Government had on September 1 announced a total removal of subsidy from the price of the Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol and thereby pushed the price per litre of petrol to N 151.
On August 19, 2020, the FG also announced an increment in the electricity tariff per kilowatt to be paid by Nigerians .
The statement noted that the Vice- President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President , Dr Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of House of Representatives , Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Revenue Mobilization , Allocation and Fiscal Commission, were joined in the suit as defendants .
In the suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/330/2020, filed last week at the Federal High Court , Abuja , they are asking the court to “ declare illegal , unconstitutional and unfair the recent hike in electricity tariff and fuel price because top- level public officers cannot continue to receive the same salaries and allowances and spend public money to finance a life of luxury for themselves while asking poor Nigerians to make sacrifices.
“ An order directing and compelling the RMAFC to cut the salaries, allowances and other emoluments payable to President Buhari , Professor Osinbajo, Dr Lawan and Mr Gbajabiamila, in line with the current economic realities , and principles of justice , fairness , equality, and non -discrimination . ”
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