ARCON’s ultimate goal is to protect consumers and the Nigeria people from unwholesome communication- Dr Fadolapo
… Calls on Politicians to get ASP approval before exposure in the media.
Oru Leonard
Director General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr Olalekon Fadolapo has said that the ultimate goal of the Council is to protect consumers and the Nigeria people from unwholesome communication.
The ARCON Boss, stated this during a goodwill message at the Advertising Stakeholders Forum, Lafia on Tuesday, October 11, 2022.
The DG was represented by the Director, Northern Operations, Mr Raphael Ayacho noted that the interaction became necessary in furtherance of democratic process in Nigeria, as the nation is in the season of electioneering campaign which will culminate to voting early next year, adding that Advertising and Marketing Communication will by volubly deployed in campaign to market candidates and party programs to the electorate.
“The foremost responsibility of the Council is to ensure that Advertising and Marketing Communications contents directed at Nigerian market are legal, decent, honest, and truthful and prepared with a high sense of social responsibility. The ultimate goal being to protect consumers and the Nigeria people from unwholesome communication. We perform this responsibility by interacting with stakeholders involved in the business of communication”, he stated.
He said the fact that political campaigns go with so much contestation calls for application of rules that would guarantee fair play by contestants and
which outcome will be free and fair election.
“This provides background to the stakeholders forum being organized today to which is aimed at sharing ideas on best practices in handling political Advertisements.
“As we head to 2023 general elections we enjoin political parties, political aspirants and candidates and all political action groups to be guided by provisions of Act 23 of 2022, the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice and other extant guidelines on exposure of political Advertisements”, he stressed.
He called on all handlers of political Advertisement and campaigns to forward their campaign materials to ARCON for pre-exposure vetting and to obtain approval of the Advertising Standard Panel (ASP), before exposure in the media.
it is our wish that all that has attended this forum will take home lessons that will be useful in managing our political communication in order to achieve campaigns free of rancor, abuses, hate speech and all forms of derogatory comments”, ARCON concluded.
Speaking the Director General, Strategic Communication and Events Management, Nasarawa State, Mr Yakubu Lamai applauded the efforts of ARCON in regulating advertising and marketing communication, particularly for organising the event which he said is apt. He said the Governor who wish to to there in person, missed the the event because some urgent commitment at Abuja.
Highlight of the event was inauguration of the maiden members of the Advertising Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Nasarawa State Chapter.
