JUST IN: FG dissolves Advertising standard panel over ‘All eyes on the election tribunal’ billboards

The Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has suspended two high-ranking officials for approving the 'All Eyes on Judiciary' billboard advertisement in Abuja.

Supreme News reports that the Federal Government disbanded the Secretariat of the Advertising Standard Panel (ASP) on Tuesday because it had approved billboards with the slogan "All Eyes on The Judiciary" that were deemed to be extortion attempts against the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, director-general of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), affirmed the suspension in a statement.

The statement indicates that the suspended council officials are the Director and Deputy Director of Regulations.

Fadolapo stated that the advertisement constitutes blackmail against the Nigerian Judiciary, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, and especially the Honourable Justices of the Tribunal, who are expected to carry out their judicial duties impartially in a pending case.

The statement reads in part, "The Council will establish a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the "inadvertent approval" of one of the advertisement's concepts and the violation of the vetting guidelines.

"As a result, both the Director and Deputy Director of Regulations have been suspended. The suspension will permit an impartial investigation into the matter. The Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) Secretariat is hereby dissolved for failing to fulfil its role as the gatekeeper of advertising, advertisement, and marketing communications.