Nigerians Reacts As FG Disbands Advertising Panel Over Controversial ‘All Eyes On The Judiciary’ Billboards

Nigerians on social media giant, X have reacted to the action of the Federal Government in disbanding the Secretariat of the Advertising Standard Panel (ASP) over a “controversial” billboard.

The controversial billboard has the slogan, “All eyes on the judiciary”

The government announced the dissolution of the board as a result of its endorsement of the billboards which it accused of attempting to manipulate the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Olalekan Fadolapo, conveyed the dissolution of the Panel through a statement issued on Tuesday.

The ASP, which is a Statutory Panel within the council has the mandate of ensuring that advertisements adhere to the prevailing laws of the Federation and the Code of Ethics for advertising professionals.

In the statement, the ARCON DG listed the reasons the advertisement should not have been approved.

Part of the statement reads, “The attention of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria 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 Standərds 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 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, 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.”

Following the development, Nigerians took to their X handles to knock the government.

Below are some reactions of Nigerians on X.

“FG doing the most to evade scrutiny. That sums it up.”

FG doing the most to evade scrutiny. That sums it up.

— Bigwig Austin (@aai_austin) August 15, 2023

“This is a coup, but we are disguising it as DEMOCRACY.”

This is a coup, but we are disguising it as DEMOCRACY

— X6 and 700 others (@x6blade) August 15, 2023

“We have moved from billboards to stickers and social media 🤣 #AllEyesOnTheJudiciary.”

We have moved from billboards to stickers and social media 🤣 #AllEyesOnTheJudiciary

— Steve Akai (@akai_stephen) August 15, 2023

“Thank you for amplifying.”

Thank you for amplifying. pic.twitter.com/kMAi5s08x0

— Ching Chung Hu 💃🏾👏🏼🤩🤩🤩💪 (@Ninasteve007) August 15, 2023

“Disbanding it or not, I think the message is passed! The judiciary must work hard to win Nigerians’ trust again! Trust is earned, not given! According to Caroline Kennedy “The bedrock of democracy is the rule of law and that means we have to have an independent judiciary,”

Disbanding it or not, I think the message is passed! The judiciary must work hard to win Nigerians’ trust again! Trust is earned, not given! According to Caroline Kennedy “The bedrock of democracy is the rule of law and that means we have to have an independent judiciary,”

— Humankind 🌏 (@lanrejoda) August 15, 2023

“What is the difference between this action and the banning of a radio 📻 station by a military junta for criticizing the coup in Niger 🇳🇪?”

What is the difference between this action and the banning of a radio 📻 station by a military junta for criticizing the coup in Niger 🇳🇪?

— Abwabati Job Amos (@amos_abwabati) August 15, 2023

“See the government we are dealing with. When Nigerians are ready, they know what to do.”

See the government we are dealing with. When Nigerians are ready, they know what to do.

— AAA (@DrealAdo) August 15, 2023

“It took us a while to get here, we don’t plan on leaving in a while, we go teh well well👌”

It took us a while to get here, we don't plan on leaving in a while, we go teh well well👌

— SmoothSteve (@Stephenok001) August 15, 2023

“What’s controversial about holding people accountable?”

What's controversial about holding people accountable?

— N.d.u.b.u.i.s.i. (@real_ndubuisi) August 15, 2023

“We even have it on Keke Napep now; useless FG”

We even have it on Keke Napep now; useless FG pic.twitter.com/vNwA8wREtk

— Occupy (@OccupyObidient) August 15, 2023

“Autocracy in display and the judiciary is silent. Their silence speaks volumes.”

Autocracy in display and the judiciary is silent. Their silence speaks volumes.

— Osazuwa Ikenna Akendolor (@OsazuwaAkendol2) August 15, 2023

In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that Nigeria’s inflation rate for July rose to 24.08%, the highest in several years.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released on Tuesday, the July 2023 rate increased by 1.29% points when compared to the previous month’s which was 22.79%.