Two high-ranking officials who approved the ‘All Eyes on Judiciary’ billboard advert in Abuja have been suspended by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria.
The Federal Government also dissolved the Secretariat of the Advertising Standard Panel stating that the approval of the billboards blackmails the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal with the title: ‘All Eyes on The Judiciary.’
Confirming the suspension, the Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, disclosed that the affected officials include the Director and Deputy Director, Regulations of the council.
According to the DG, the advertisement is a blackmail against the Nigerian Judiciary, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, and particularly the Honourable Justices of the Tribunal who are expected to discharge their judicial functions without fear or favour over a matter that is currently jus pendis.
The statement in part reads, “The Council would set up a committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the “erroneous approval” of one of the concepts of the advert and the breach of the vetting guidelines.
“Consequently, the Director and Deputy Director, Regulations have also been suspended. The suspension is to enable an unprejudiced investigation of the issue. The Advertising Standards Panel Secretariat failing to diligently exercise its function as the gatekeeper of advertising, advertisement, and marketing communications is hereby dissolved.”
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Advertising Regulatory Council Act, 2022
The Advertising Regulatory Council Act, 2022 (the “Act”) has recently been promulgated into law. The new Act effectively repeals the Advertising Practitioners (Registration, etc.) Act, Cap. A7,
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Some of the key provisions of the Act include:
The establishment of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria: The Act establishes ARCON as the supervisory authority which regulates the practice of advertising and marketing communications in Nigeria.
The regulation of online advertising: The purview of the Act, extends to the regulation of advertisements on online media and platforms.
Penalties: The Act prohibits and prescribes prison terms and fines for persons and organisations who falsely profess to be advertising practitioners and or advertise in contravention of the Act.