Court gives APC nod to continue fund raising on telecom networks

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(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Wednesday secured an interim injunction overruling the ban on its fund-raising scheme via telecommunication networks by National Communication Commission, NCC, pending the determination of a substantive suit.
The ex-parte motion brought before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos by APC counsel  on the issue was granted by the trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba.
NCC had stopped the telecommunications service providers, Etisalat Nigeria, MTN Nig. Ltd, Globacom Ltd, Airtel Nig. and Visafone Communications Ltd, from allowing APC to use the 35350 SMS code to raise funds for its presidential campaign
Buba, on Wednesday, ordered that the telecommunication companies should immediately reactivate the applicant's presidential campaign fund-raising SMS scheme.
The judge also granted the applicant the leave to serve the respondents the originating summons and other processes outside the court's jurisdiction.
Buba adjourned till Feb. 4, to hear the substantive suit.
APC in the substantive suit had urged court to award N25 billion damages against NCC, for allegedly prohibiting its presidential campaign fund-raising scheme.
Also joined in the suit are Etisalat Nigeria, MTN Nig. Ltd, Globacom Ltd, Airtel Nig. and Visafone Communications Ltd.
In a 16-paragragh affidavit deposed to by one Ademola Sodiq, the APC averred that NCC had instructed  the telecommunication companies  to discontinue an SMS platform it created for donations for its presidential campaign.
According to Sodiq, the participatory fund-raising strategy was for members of the public to contribute N100 to the APC's presidential campaign fund each time they sent APC as an SMS to 35350.
Sodiq explained that the party's strategy was borne out of its commitment to raise fund for its presidential campaign in a "transparent and accountable manner.
The deponent said that within few hours of launching the strategy on Jan. 20, the party received a total of 5,400 SMS before the NCC directed the telecommunications service providers to discontinue the scheme.


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