ARCON Forum: Stakeholders Demand Strict Compliance, Peaceful 2027 Political Campaigns
By Morohunmubo Johnson
Stakeholders in the political advertising and election sectors on Tuesday called for strict regulation and full compliance with electoral laws ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that political campaigns must be free of violence and hate speech.
The call was made at the Political Advertising Forum organised by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), which brought together political parties, regulators, security agencies and other stakeholders.
In his opening address, ARCON Director-General Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, who also represented the Minister of Information and National Orientation, said the forum was designed to engage political stakeholders on the rules governing political advertising.
Fadolapo stressed that ARCON was not convening the programme alone, as other ministries and agencies were also involved to ensure that political campaigns complied with the relevant rules and regulations.
“All political advertisements must first be submitted to ARCON before posting. Hence, it calls for strict regulations and certain rules,” he said.
He added that compliance with the rules governing political campaigns must be enforced.
“We, as part of the stakeholders, are also part of the forum. We must continue to engage stakeholders to ensure that political campaign is not violence and ensure full compliance to the law,” the DG said.
Representing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Badejo Babalolo said the commission needed support from all stakeholders to navigate the election process.
“We need to survive this election and we need support, we don’t need hate speech,” Babalolo said.
Also speaking, Assistant Commandant Segun Adeogun of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who represented the Commandant, Dayo Keshinro, noted that security agencies had a major role to play.
“As you know, police have been taking the lead during elections. I will encourage the forum to deliberate on what will make the election a peaceful one,” Adeogun said.
In his remarks, Lanre Adisa, Chairman of the Heads of Advertising Sectorial Groups (HASG), said regulation must be imposed and encouraged as the 2027 elections approached.
“As we approach the 2027 election, regulation must be imposed and encouraged to comply,” Adisa said.
The forum featured a keynote address by Barrister Charles Okedigbo, Director-General of the Center for Media Law & Development (CMLD), who spoke on the legal framework for political advertising and the need for stakeholders to comply with the rules.
Okedigbo said political advertising was governed by binding laws and regulations, not merely guidelines. He urged campaign organisations to submit materials to the Advertising Standards Panel well before their planned release, and called on media houses to reject unapproved political content. “The ARCON Act, the Nigerian Code of Advertising, the Electoral Act, and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code are not aspirational documents. They are binding instruments,” he said.
He also stressed that political advertisements must be truthful, issue-based and respectful, and must not exploit religious, ethnic or sectional divisions. “The regulatory framework I have described is not designed to make your work impossible. It is designed to make it lawful,” Okedigbo said, urging stakeholders to seek solutions through the appropriate channels rather than ignore the law.
