Consumer Council dissociates self from N17m judgement against Coca-Cola

By Ab’eku ‘kachukwu  Abuja
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Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has dissociated self from N17 million judgement against Coca-Cola Bottling Company PLC.
This latest development was contained in press release from the CPC signed by the Director General (DG) of the Council, Babatunde Irukea.
The release stated: “Our attention has been drawn to a publication suggesting that the CPC secured judgment in the sum of N17 million against Coca Cola from the Supreme Court of Nigeria (SCN). Although the story factually reports that the current DG of the Council, prior to his appointment was a partner at SimmonsCooper Partners, and in that role, represented the respondent in that Appeal, Mrs Titilayo Akisanya in this case which emanated from the National Industrial Court (NIC) as far back as 2012. The subject of the litigation appears to be a private employment dispute between Coca Cola and Akisanya. The conflict was not about or on account of a consumer issue or failure. There was no underlying complaint or apparent statutory jurisdiction of the CPC.
“Essentially, the only child connection of the CPC to this case is that the court’s decision was delivered by the SCN at a time after counsel of record, Babatunde Irukera was appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as DG of the Council, even though he previously argued the case before this appointment.
Indeed, Coca Cola, like any other company is within the consumer protection jurisdiction of the CPC, this case was not about any such issue and the CPC neither contributed nor participated in the dispute or judicial process.

 

 

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