The
Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) has charges political
advertising consultants and owners/manager of mass media organizations to
exercise restraint and comply with relevant laws and regulations on political
advertising, especially during this critical leading to the 2015 general
election.
This came as
a result of the recent advertisement published in some of the national
newspapers and the controversies generated by such publications.
In a release
signed by APCON registrar Alhaji Bello Kankarofi, the body urges media houses
owners and managers to avoid negative reference to political opponents; use of
foul or abusive language distorted or unsubstantiated claims or
misrepresentations of facts.
“Political advertisements should not exploit
or incite ethnic, religious or other sectional interests and should clearly
indicate the identity of the sponsors of the advertisements.”
“What we see
today, is a clear manifestation of mindless abuse of freedom of speech and flagrant
breach of these regulations which, if unchecked, is capable of plunging our
country into an orgy of violence and anarchy.”
APCON
therefore appalled that the publishers and managers of some of the national
newspapers, have grossly compromised their patriotic and professionalism ethics
to the lure and lucre of advertisement patronage by political candidates,
adding that they have brazenly abandoned their gate keeping duties and spurious
advertisements in contravention of the nation’s advertising regulations and in
disregard of several preemptive engagements with APCON.
The body
concluded that “we will be constrained to use the instrument of law enforcement
agencies to forestall any tendency to plunge the country to avoidable anarchy
through the irresponsible activities of political candidates, their supporters
and consultants or the negligent self-serving actions of mass media organization.
We warn that the stability and peaceful democratic development of this country
must not be subsumed under the personal ambitions of politicians or mercantile
interest of media owners.”
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