The Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, has backed the decision of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to appeal a court ruling which annulled the 45 per cent electricity tariff hike.

The Federal High Court had last Wednesday annulled the increment in electricity tariff recently announced by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Justice Mohammed Idris made the pronouncement while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a human rights lawyer, Toluwani Adebiyi, challenging the increment.

The judge described NERC’s action as “ultra vires, irrational, irregular and illegal”.

However, speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Anthony Akah, the Acting Chairman of NERC, said the commission had now filed an appeal against the judgment.

Now Fashola says he supports the decision of NERC to appeal the ruling.

Fashola said, “I must say that as all of these are happening, the Nigerian government has demonstrated that it will play by the rules, especially in the power sector. I must, therefore, commend our regulators, NERC, for the position that they have taken regarding the judgement. The commission has shown that although it disagrees with the judgement, it is challenging it as the law allows.

“To me, it is a positive sign for our power sector. The decision of NERC to respect the court is a sign that conflicts and interests in the power sector can be resolved in a democratic environment. These are the hallmarks of a good economic and investment-worthy destination. There are silver linings in the cloud of the setback, which the judgment appears to represent.”

On Dec. 15, 2015, NERC announced a new electricity tariffs for all class of consumers, which became effective on Feb.1, 2016.

The directive also abolished the contentious fixed charges for all electricity consumers nationwide. (TV360 Nigeria)

•Photo shows Fashola.