Lagos State-based human rights lawyer, Kabir Akingbolu, has sued the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and two others at a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for allegedly infringing on his right by categorising the country’s electricity consumers. He is praying the court for an order to unify the electricity supply for all Nigerians.
  
Akingbolu claimed that the minister and other respondents allegedly infringed on his fundamental rights.In a suit marked FHC/L/CS/750/2024 filed on April 30, 2024, the lawyer seeks a court order for, “A declaration that the categorisation of the applicant and other Nigerian electricity consumers into different bands with different hours of electricity supply is wrongful, illegal and a breach of their right to freedom from discrimination.”
   
Other respondents in the suit include the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IE). The attorney alleged that the respondents breached their right by categorising the electricity consumers into different classes, stating that it is against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to discriminate against any person.
  
The suit was a sequel to the announcement by the third respondent (IE) on April 13, 2024, to Lagos residents, who are its customers, of increased electricity tariff and categorisation of electricity supply to the consumers into Band ‘A, B, C, D and E’ feeders.
   
IE further stated that based on the classification or categorisation of electricity supply into different and varied bands, electricity would be supplied to the consumers differently based on the class of ‘Tariff Feeders Band’.
  
The human rights crusader is therefore praying to the court for, “a declaration that the categorisation of the applicant and other electricity consumers into different bands with different hours of electricity supply is wrongful, illegal and a breach of their right to freedom from discrimination.
  
“An order of court directing the immediate and unconditional unification of electricity supply of the applicant with that of other electricity consumers by the respondents forthwith.”
  
Akingbolu added that the acts of the respondents violated Chapter IV, Section 42(1) and (2), of 1999 Constitution (as amended). 
  
In his 26-paragraph affidavit in support of his application, Akingbolu averred, “That immediately the respondents introduced the various classes of band feeders, the respondent only supplied two to four hours of electricity to the applicant, while other areas under Band A is being enjoyed about 20 hours of electricity or more.
  
“That due to the two to four hours of electricity supply to the applicant’s area by the respondents, the applicant has been subjected to serious hardship due to the scorching weather that plagued the nation as a result of climate change ravaging the world.”