The Advertising Standard Panel (ASP) secretariat has been dissolved by the Federal Government over its approval of billboards with the title: ‘All Eyes on The Judiciary’ which is considered an instrument of ‘blackmailing’ targeted at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, News About Nigeria reports.
The ASP is the Statutory Panel under the Council that has the responsibility of ensuring that advertisements conform with the prevailing laws of the Federation as well as the codes of ethics of the advertising.
The Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, confirmed the dissolution of the panel in a statement.
The Council also suspended its Director and Deputy Director in charge of Regulations to allow for thorough investigations into the issue with the intention of setting up an investigation committee to address the issue.
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 some listed grounds:
The statement read “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.
“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.
“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.”
