The offending ‘All Eyes on The Judiciary’ billboard
ARCON’s Standard Panel dissolved for approving ‘All Eyes on The Judiciary’ billboards
Federal Government has dissolved the Advertising Standard Panel (ASP) of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) over its failure to stop the erection of the controversial and trending ‘All Eyes on The Judiciary’ billboards.
Director-General of ARCON, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, who confirmed the dissolution of the panel in a statement, Tuesday, explained that the said billboard ‘is perceived to be blackmailing the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.’
The ASP is the Statutory Panel under the Council charged with the duty of ensuring that advertisements conform to the prevailing laws of the Federation as well as the Code of advertising ethics of the advertising profession.
Fadolapo further disclosed that ARCON has also suspended and queried the panel’s Director and Deputy Director in charge of Regulations to allow investigations into the issue.
“The attention of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeriə [ARCON) has been drawn to the “All Eyes on the Judiciary” advertisements exposed on some billboards across the country.
“The Advertising Standards Panel of the Council also erred in the approval of one of the concepts as the advertisement failed to vet guidelines on the following grounds:
“The cause forming the central theme of the campaign in the advertisement is a matter pending before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. Hence, it’s jus pendis.
“A matter being jus pendis and awaiting judicial pronouncement is, by virtue of the Nigerian legal system, precluded from being a subject of public statement, debate, discussion, advertisement, etc.
“The advertisement is controversial and capable of instigating public unrest and breach of public peace.
Olalekan who described the advert as ‘a clear blackmail against the Nigerian Judiciary and the Honourable Justices of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal,’ added that the advert ‘is capable of instigating public unrest and breach of public peace.’
The ARCON chief, therefore, directed that all advertisements that promote a cause or idea capable of inciting national interest should first be brought to the Director General for review prior to presentation to the Advertising Standards Panel.
He ordered the Director, Regulations to explain why disciplinary actions will not be taken against him for dereliction of duty and asked that his reply should get to his office before the end of today (Tuesday).
