FG sets up tribunal to adjudicate advertising offences

The federal government has constituted a tribunal for adjudication of offences created under the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Act No.23 of 2022.

In a statement on Friday, ARCON said Cecelia Olatoregun, a retired justice, was named as the tribunal’s chairman.

The council said four other members of the tribunal — Charles Odenigbo, Moroof Aileru, Julia Jacks and Idorenyen Enang — were appointed.

ARCON said Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, made the appointments in line with section 38 of the ARCON Act 2022.

“The Federal Government has constituted the Advertising Offences Tribunal and appointed a chairman and four other members to 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,” the statement reads.

“The Tribunal is an independent specialised judicial body established to ensure equity, openness, fairness and impartiality in all dispute and offences committed or allegedly committed under the Act.

“The Tribunal will advocate speedy hearing
and timely resolution of all matters before it.

“The Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji La Mohammed acting in line with section 38 of the Act appointed Honourable Justice Cecilia M. A. Olatoregun (rtd) as the Chairman of the tribunal.

“Justice Olatoregun 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 4 divisions of the Federal High Court at different times.

“She is a member of the international Association of Women Judges in Nigeria, Commonwealth Magistrate and Judges Association, among others.

“Justice Olatoregun has facilitated and delivered papers at conferences and seminars, within and outside the country. By this appointment, she becomes the Tribunal’s first Chairman.

Last week, a federal high court sitting in Abuja granted leave to ARCON to serve a writ of summons on Meta Platforms Incorporated, owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms.

The court granted the application in ARCON’s N30 billion suit pending against the company.