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Nigeria's Judiciary Billboards Spark Free Speech Debate

Top officials of Nigeria's Advertising Regulatory Council (ARCO) have been suspended and their unit dissolved after billboards with the slogan "All Eyes on the Judiciary" appeared in Abuja and other states, ahead of a ruling by a tribunal which is hearing petitions on the February 2023 presidential election results.

The billboards which gained attention on social media, were not approved by the Advertising Standards Panel and were deemed "controversial and potentially inciting." The council ordered their immediate removal and sanctions for the violators. The council's Director-General, Olalekan Fadolapo, said that the advertisement's content pertained to an ongoing legal matter, making it unfit for public discussion.

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong argued that the removal of the billboards violated the right to freedom of expression, asserting that criticism of the judiciary is legally permissible. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said the destruction of billboards was clear evidence of President Bola Tinubu's authoritarianism and assault on freedom of speech.

The Nigerian judiciary has often been criticised for its handling of high-profile cases, political interference, delays in rulings, and corruption. In recent years, the judiciary has been criticized for its rulings in cases involving #EndSARS protesters, political opponents, and wealthy individuals.

The 2023 general elections in Nigeria were expected to be a major step forward for the country's democracy. However, they were marred by allegations of widespread corruption, including voter suppression, vote buying, manipulation of electoral rolls, and compromised officials. The presidential election was won by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but the results are being contested in court by the two other candidates, Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party.

InFocus

OluwakemiAdelagun/PremiumTimes

'All Eyes On the Judiciary' billboard.

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