PRESS RELEASE
RE: BAN ON THE ‘ALL EYES ON THE JUDICIARY’ BILLBOARDS AND DISSOLUTION OF ADVERTISING STANDARDS PANEL SECRETARIAT
Well-meaning Nigerians condemn in entirety, the recent Memo by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria where, through the Director-General, Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, the Council in an attempt to intimidate Nigerians and their right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, banned the ‘All Eyes On The Judiciary’ Billboards that have been mounted within Nigeria.
We consider this attempt as a violation of the rights of citizens to freedom of expression and the press as guaranteed under Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as altered.
Responding to the Four (4) outlines in the said Memo, we respond as follows.
1. The central theme of the Billboard ‘All Eyes On The Judiciary” is NOT a matter before the court. The issues before the court are as they relate to the Presidential Election held in February 2023 and do not in any way affect the citizen’s duty to keep track of the exercise of governmental powers as provided for by the Constitution.
2. Of the many issues for determination before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and various Election Tribunals in Nigeria, the Petitioners and Respondents to the suits before the various tribunals did NOT present ‘All Eyes On The Judiciary’ as an issue for determination.
3. The call on Nigerians to be committed to holding the government accountable through the ‘All Eyes On The Judiciary’ theme does not in any way instigate the breach of public peace. The duty to critic government officials and hold them accountable is established by law. It is instructive to note vehemently that the only thing that can and in fact will instigate public unrest and breach of public peace is where the government through any of its arms, particularly the Judiciary manifests grave injustice against the people.
4. The Nigerian people will not accept the deliberate attempt to regard their duty of holding government officials accountable as blackmail. We consider this attempt as cheap blackmail in itself that will be resisted in all its forms.
We must remind ARCON that it has an obligation under Section 22 of the Constitution to uphold the fundamental objectives of the Constitution and ‘uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people’.
We call on the Leadership of ARCON to weigh the issues before it and take its actions circumspectly with equity, fairness, and justice at the very fore.
We reiterate our commitment to keeping checks on all arms of the government and we will not cower to any intimidation or blackmail from any agency, commission, parastatal, or arm of government.
Sgn.
UC Maxwell and all Well-Meaning Nigerians
