President Muhammadu Buhari is being sued over the increase in the price of electricity by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The organization’s deputy director, Kolawale Oluwadare, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading PLC, and the nation’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, have all been named as respondents in the lawsuit.
The group’s action follows NERC’s approval of Electricity Distribution Companies’ request to raise rates.
Last Friday, the Federal High Court in Lagos received the case with suit number FHC/L/CS/99/2023.
To “compel President Buhari to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly investigate the spending of public funds as investments and bailouts to DisCos and GenCos since 2005,” SERAP urged the court in a submission to the commission.
Since Buhari’s government took office again in 2015, Nigerians have experienced ongoing electricity price increases despite a worsening power supply.