Justice James Omotosho wey dey Federal High Court for Abuja don fix May 8 to give judgment for di case wey MultiChoice Nigeria Limited carry go court against di Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Di judge fix di date after di lawyers wey dey represent both parties don present dia arguments for and against di case.
Before before, di court don already stop di Commission from taking any action against MultiChoice sake of say dem increase di price for two of dia services—DStv and GOtv. Dis restraining order na because MultiChoice beg di court make dem protect am from di planned sanction wey FCCPC wan give dem because of di price increase.
For di hearing, di court grant FCCPC request to get extra time to arrange dia legal processes. E also allow MultiChoice withdraw one application wey dem file before for interim injunction since di matter don pass dat level.
As MultiChoice present dia case, dia lead lawyer, Onigbanjo, talk say di main issue be whether FCCPC get right to control di price wey MultiChoice dey charge di public for dia services.
Di senior lawyer agree say FCCPC get regulatory power, but e argue say di law wey establish di Commission no give dem power to fix or control price. E even talk say di matter don enter court before between di same parties, and di Tribunal don rule say na only di President of Nigeria get di power to control price of goods and services for di country.
Di lawyer still add say even di President wey get di power talk say im government no dey believe for price control, say na market forces of demand and supply go determine price.
MultiChoice come accuse FCCPC of discrimination, say other businesses for Nigeria dey increase price based on di economy and inflation, but FCCPC no talk anything—na only MultiChoice dem dey disturb. Di lawyer beg di court make dem grant all di reliefs wey MultiChoice dey find for di case.
On di other side, di lead lawyer for FCCPC, Professor Joe Agbugu, SAN, tell di court say di main issue for di case na di price increase of DStv and GOtv.
Agbugu reveal say FCCPC write MultiChoice on February 25 after dem announce say dem go increase price from March 1, 2025. FCCPC summon dem make dem come explain for February 27, but MultiChoice say di date no favour dem, say make dem shift am go March 6. FCCPC come tell dem make dem hold di price increase first.
Di lawyer talk say di issue no be about price regulation or fixing, but say FCCPC get power under di law to check exorbitant pricing and stop any company wey wan abuse dia dominant position for market.
According to Agbugu, MultiChoice get strong control for di television and entertainment sector, and FCCPC work na to protect consumers from exploitative pricing. E talk say FCCPC no dey tell business di exact price wey dem go use, but na to check whether di price wey dem fix dey fair. E accuse MultiChoice say dem dey run from investigation.
As FCCPC lawyer dey respond to di discrimination claim, e talk say na because MultiChoice get dominant market position na im make dem qualify for scrutiny over exorbitant pricing.
In di end, FCCPC beg di court make dem throway di case because e dey challenge di main work of di Commission to protect consumers.
Justice Omotosho come announce say di judgment go come out on May 8.
