Contrary to widely-reported dissolution of the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP), in some news media, Brands Track not inclusive, the authoritative online platform has been told that dissolution had nothing to do with the statutory body, ASP, but the secretariat.

 

A source  at the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON),added that the Director General of the apex regulatory body in the advertising industry,  does not have the powers to dissolve the panel, since it is statutorily constituted.

 

The source  further explained that what the leadership of the council had done was to dissolve the Secretariat, comprising members of  staff of the agency, which explains the reason two of its officers, including a Director, due for retirement in the next few weeks, were sent on compulsory leave.

 

They were said to have erred  for  allowing  one of the  concepts of the controversial ‘All Eyes on The Judiciary’ advert, that failed vetting guidelines.

 

The source, stated that though the erroneously approved concept was not part of the concepts on display, the officers were however sanctioned for making such obvious gaffe , capable of bringing the name of the Council into disrepute.

 

ARCON had,  in a statement issued, on Tuesday, by its Director General, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, ordered the removal of all the concepts of  the controversial advert, ‘All Eyes on Judiciary’, being exposed across the country.

 

The agency explained that the ASP Secretariat erred to have approved one of the concepts, forming the central theme of the campaign in the advertisement; since the matter is still pending before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, and as a result 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, and advertisement,” the agency stated.

 

Describing the ad as controversial and capable of instigating public unrest and breach of public peace, the agency also sees the ad as a blackmail against the Nigerian Judiciary, the Presidential Election  Petition  Tribunal, and its justices, expected to perform their duties without fear or favour.

 

The Council added that the ASP Secretariat failed to diligently  exercise its function as the gatekeeper of advertising, advertisement and  marketing communications.

 

The apex regulatory council  assured that an investigating committee will be set up to investigate the circumstances leading to  the erroneous approval of one of the concepts of the inappropriate advert, and the breach of the voting guidelines.