Chief Larry Iroka, legal counsel for the Aba Electricity Consumers Forum, has strongly refuted claims by Aba Power that no court ruling was made against the recent electricity tariff hike. Iroka described Aba Power’s statement as misleading and a deliberate attempt to deceive the public regarding the ongoing court case challenging the tariff increase.
Reacting to a press release issued by Aba Power’s Communication and Brand Manager, Edise Ekong, Iroka stated that the Abia State High Court had, in fact, ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the suit filed by the Aba Electricity Consumers Forum. He emphasized that the court dismissed Aba Power’s preliminary objection, which sought to disqualify the forum from instituting the lawsuit.
“Aba Power’s claim that the forum is not a legal entity and has no standing to sue is baseless,” Iroka asserted. “The court, on March 19, 2025, ruled that we met all pre-litigation conditions and dismissed their objections. That remains the law, and they have not appealed the decision.”
Iroka further accused Aba Power of attempting to misrepresent the court’s position on the tariff hike, stating that the substantive case is still ongoing. He noted that the court had issued a preservative order, restraining Aba Power from disconnecting consumers pending the determination of the motion on notice.
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“The issue at hand is that consumers should not be forced to pay an exorbitant tariff increase—some as high as 200%—without proper regulatory approval,” Iroka explained. “We are not saying Aba Power cannot charge new rates, but they must prove that NERC authorized the extent of the hike.”
He also criticized Aba Power’s alleged non-compliance with the court order, warning that legal action would be taken against any staff members involved in disconnections.
With the case adjourned to April 29, 2025, Iroka assured electricity consumers that the interim order remains in force, maintaining that the public should disregard Aba Power’s claims and await the court’s final judgment.
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