The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, ANED, which is the umbrella body of the 11 Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, operating in Nigeria, has appealed the judgment of a Lagos Federal High Court which annulled the 45 percent increase in electricity tariff.

Sunday Oduntan, Executive Director of the association, said this on Thursday in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had on July 13, annulled the increase in electricity tariff, which was announced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC.

Delivering judgment in the suit filed by human rights lawyer, Toluwani Adebiyi, Justice Mohammed Idris described NERC’s action as irrational, irregular and illegal, having been taken without regards to a court order to the contrary.

But Oduntan said the association had appealed against the ruling and would pursue the judgment to the Supreme Court if the need be.

“We have appealed against the ruling and asked for a stay of execution now. I can assure you that as a legal luminary, we will not stop until we get justice. If the Appeal Court judgment is not favourable, we will pursue the case to the Supreme Court which is the highest court in the land, so there is no cause for alarm,’’ he said.

The increase in electricity tariff was announced on December 15, 2015, and despite a court order and a National Assembly resolution against the policy, the hike became effective on February 1, 2016.