COURT LIFTS SUSPENSION ON APC'S FUND-RAISING PLATFORM
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday
restrained five telecoms firms from suspending All
Progressives Congress (APC) campaign fund-
raising platform.
Justice Ibrahim Buba made the ex-parte order
following the party’s motion.
The judge made an order of interim injunction
restraining Etisalat, MTN, Glo, Airtel and Visafone
from giving effect to a directive by the Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC) which
warned them against running political promotions
that will portray them as being partisan.
The judge ordered the telecoms firms “to continue
to run, operate and/or restore to its full operative
use the SMS Code platform 35350 created for
fund-raising for the applicant’s presidential
campaign.”
The orders are to subsist pending the hearing and
determination of APC’s originating motion on
notice.
The court also granted APC leave to serve the
originating motion on notice and other processes
on NCC (the first defendant) outside the court’s
jurisdiction.
APC said the platform is to operate till February
12 when campaign activities for the presidential
election will end in line with Electoral Act and the
election time-table.
In the originating motion, APC is demanding
N25billion damages from the defendants for
violating the fundamental rights of the party and
its members.
It said since the platform was suspended, it has
been unable to disseminate or receive information
from its supporters via the SMS code 35350.
The party said while the platform was suspended,
NCC has allowed that of President Goodluck
Jonathan to run seamlessly.
The party said it created a “premium SMS code
35350″ through which willing donors could
contribute to its presidential campaign fund.
Within hours of its creation, APC said it was
getting about five messages of N100 each every
minute. A total of 5,400 messages were received,
it said.
However, NCC in a January 19 letter, directed all
telecoms service providers “to avoid running
political advertisements that will portray them as
being partisan.”
NCC said it would “not hesitate to sanction any
service provider that will flout this directive.” As a
result, the telecoms firms suspended the
platform.
However, APC said political parties have been
using several media platforms to advertise, with
none accused of being partisan.
restrained five telecoms firms from suspending All
Progressives Congress (APC) campaign fund-
raising platform.
Justice Ibrahim Buba made the ex-parte order
following the party’s motion.
The judge made an order of interim injunction
restraining Etisalat, MTN, Glo, Airtel and Visafone
from giving effect to a directive by the Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC) which
warned them against running political promotions
that will portray them as being partisan.
The judge ordered the telecoms firms “to continue
to run, operate and/or restore to its full operative
use the SMS Code platform 35350 created for
fund-raising for the applicant’s presidential
campaign.”
The orders are to subsist pending the hearing and
determination of APC’s originating motion on
notice.
The court also granted APC leave to serve the
originating motion on notice and other processes
on NCC (the first defendant) outside the court’s
jurisdiction.
APC said the platform is to operate till February
12 when campaign activities for the presidential
election will end in line with Electoral Act and the
election time-table.
In the originating motion, APC is demanding
N25billion damages from the defendants for
violating the fundamental rights of the party and
its members.
It said since the platform was suspended, it has
been unable to disseminate or receive information
from its supporters via the SMS code 35350.
The party said while the platform was suspended,
NCC has allowed that of President Goodluck
Jonathan to run seamlessly.
The party said it created a “premium SMS code
35350″ through which willing donors could
contribute to its presidential campaign fund.
Within hours of its creation, APC said it was
getting about five messages of N100 each every
minute. A total of 5,400 messages were received,
it said.
However, NCC in a January 19 letter, directed all
telecoms service providers “to avoid running
political advertisements that will portray them as
being partisan.”
NCC said it would “not hesitate to sanction any
service provider that will flout this directive.” As a
result, the telecoms firms suspended the
platform.
However, APC said political parties have been
using several media platforms to advertise, with
none accused of being partisan.
Comments
Post a Comment