The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has dissociated itself from a media report which suggested that the Council secured judgment in the sum of 17 Million naira against Coca Cola from the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The Deputy Director, Public Relations at the CPC, Mr Abiodun Obimuyiwa told The TRUTH that although the story factually reports that prior to the appointment of Babatunde Irukera as Director General of the CPC, he 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 as far back as 2012.
While saying that the subject of the litigation appears to be a private employment dispute between Coca Cola and Akisanya, the spokesman noted that 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,” he said adding that the only connection of the CPC to the case is that the court decision was delivered by the Supreme Court at a time after counsel of record, Babatunde Irukera was appointed as Director General of the Council, even though he previously argued the case before this appointment.
The spokesman further explained that Coca Cola, like any other company is within the consumer protection jurisdiction of the CPC, adding that the case was not about any such issue and the CPC neither contributed nor participated in the dispute or judicial process.
