The Federal Government has taken the decision to dissolve the Secretariat of the Advertising Standard Panel (ASP) due to its endorsement of ‘All Eyes on The Judiciary’ billboards, which did not meet the required vetting standards.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, the Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), announced the disbandment of the Panel. He also informed that the Council has initiated the suspension of its Director and Deputy Director in charge of Regulations, in order to facilitate thorough investigations into the matter.
Dr. Fadolapo revealed that certain advertisements did not receive the approval of the ASP. He acknowledged that the Panel made an error in endorsing one of the concepts, as the advertisement failed to adhere to the vetting guidelines.
The ASP is the authorized body under the Council’s jurisdiction, tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that advertisements align with the existing federal laws and the Code of Advertising Ethics upheld by the advertising profession.
The Director-General of ARCON highlighted the specific reasons that rendered the advertisement inappropriate for approval.
“The attention of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria [ARCON) has been drawn to the “All Eyes on the Judiciary” advertisements exposed on some billboards across the country. The concepts exposed were not approved by the Advertising Standards Panel, hence, the Council has directed that all the materials being exposed be brought down immediately and the violators sanctioned.
“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 just 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 breaching public peace.
“The advertisement is considered 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 ARCON DG said the Council would set up a committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the “erroneous approval” of one of the concepts of the advertisement 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 (ASP) Secretariat, failing to diligently exercise its function as the gatekeeper of advertising, advertisement, and marketing communications, is hereby dissolved,” he said.
