FG moves against ad offenders, set up 5-man Advertising Offences Tribunal

IN its bid to walk its talk of reforms in the nation’s integrated marketing communications industry, the federal government has announced the inauguration of a five-man Advertising Offences Tribunal that will handle  cases regarding ad infractions in the country.

The nation’s apex regulatory body, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) disclosed this, in a statement, issued over the weekend.

The regulatory body stated that the Tribunal, which will be headed by Honourable  Justice Cecilia M.A. Olatoregun (retired),  will adjudicate over offences created under Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No 23 of 2022, Code of  Advertising Practice, Standard of Practice, Proclamation, and other relevant enactments made pursuant  to the Act.

It described the tribunal as an independent specialized judicial body, established with the aim  to ensuring equity, openness, fairness and impartiality in all dispute and offences committed or allegedly committed under the Act.

The tribunal, ARCON added, will also advocate speedy hearing and timely resolution of all matters before it.

According to the regulatory body,  Justice Olatoregun (rtd), who was appointed  by the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,  in line with Section 34 of the Act, had served meritoriously as a Judge of the Federal High Court from July 2000 to November 2019.

Before her appointment to the bench, she was the Chief Registrar and Admiralty Marshal of the Federal High Court from November 1998 to July 2000.

As an administrative Judge, she oversaw 11 judges in the Lagos Division and presided over four divisions of the Federal High Court at different times.

The other four members of the tribunal are: Mr. Charles Odenigbo,  a lawyer and Registered Advertising  Practitioner; Mr. Moroof Aileru, also a legal luminary; Mrs. Julia Oku Jacks, a Fellow of the Advertising Profession and founding partner of SO&U Saatchi & Saatchi; and Mr. Idorenyen Enang, President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN).

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