A court
sitting in Lagos, Tuesday, March 24, 2015 gave judgement in favour of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) against the Nigerian Communications Commission
(NCC) over the ban on mobile telecom shortcode – 35350, ITRealms reports.
The court, ITRealms reports also ordered the NCC alongside five mobile operators to pay APC the sum of N500 million as damages.
The APC
had on the wake of the ban, draggred NCC and some five mobile operators to
court, including MTN Nigeria, Glo, Etisalat, Airtel and Visafone, while NCC
reportedly placed the ban because of suspected use of mobile short codes for fundraising
Short Messaging Service (SMS) on which NCC said did not pass through due
process and amounts to short-changing Nigerians, especially unsuspecting
electorates and mobile users.
Also, quoted
the Lagos state Governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who doubles as the
Chairman Buhari-Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Fundraising Committee in Abuja.
He said, the
commission’s ban on the party’s mobile fundraising shortcode was a breach of
constitutional provisions and amounts to double standards.
He
stressed that the party has no other choice than to seek legal redress of the
action.
According
to him, the directive to shut the platform was contained in a letter dated
January 19, with reference number NCC/CAB/GEN/2015 VOL.1/004, which was signed
by officials of the NCC.
Consequently,
Mr. Justice Ibrahim Buba said the ban lacus standi.
“The
directive by the NCC to the telecoms firms is hereby struck out having been
made without power and in contravention of the fundamental rights of the
applicant (APC)” he declared.
Justice
Buba also ordered the payment of N500m as damages to APC.
The NCC
or any of the operators joined in the suit have reacted to the judgement.
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