News

ADVAN Stands with WFA and Supports the Global Call For Brands to Hold Platforms to Account

Published

6 years ago

March 30, 2019

Eric

28 March 2019, Lisbon: Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) echoed very strongly the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) call on all brands globally to hold social media platforms to account in light of recent failures to block dangerous and hateful content. In supporting the position WFA Regional Vice President for Africa, Folake Ani-Mumuney reiterated that while companies must decide their own approaches, WFA is calling on its members and brands worldwide – in their capacity as the funders of the online advertising system – to put pressure on platforms to do more to prevent their services and algorithms from being hijacked by those with malicious intent. The call comes after multiple incidents on some of the world’s biggest digital platforms, including paedophile comments being left in comments below videos of children on YouTube, the glorification of self-harm and suicide content on Instagram and, most recently, the live-streaming of the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand on Facebook. All these platforms are funded by advertisers and as such those that make them profitable have a moral responsibility to consider more than just the effectiveness and efficiency they provide for brand messages. ADVAN together with the WFA is standing alongside its member association and colleagues at the Association of New Zealand Advertisers (ANZA), which has issued a call asking for members to think carefully about where they place advertising and challenging platform owners to do more. “This is not an issue of brand safety, this is a moral question to hold social media platforms to account – in the same way we do for traditional media,” says ANZA Chief Executive, Lindsay Mouat.

WFA’s call to action reflects the fact that these are not challenges that can be addressed by one country alone but need global action.

Improving the online ecosystem is a top priority for WFA members. 47% of respondents to a WFA member barometer conducted this month of more than 200 senior marketers from over 100 brands representing $125bn in ad spend cited improving the online advertising ecosystem as the single biggest issue the marketing industry needed to address in 2019.
“Marketers must reflect on the extent and terms on which they fund these platforms. Conversely, the platforms must do more to assuage the growing number of advertiser concerns. WFA is committed to working with the platforms in a constructive manner in order to find solutions to these grave problems. For our shared goal must be to build an ecosystem that is sustainable and doesn’t undermine people, communities and society at large,”said Stephan Loerke, CEO of the WFA. “The influence of online platforms in shaping cultures and mobilizing communities around the world is already significant and growing ever more so. This means brands and platforms must assume a higher level of responsibility to ensure these online environments are forces for good, not conflict or violence. That begins with acknowledging flaws and quickly investing in lasting solutions. To drive change we need less debate and more action,” said Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Mastercard and WFA President. This commitment to urge African member brands to hold all platforms accountable was made by the President of ADVAN, Mrs Folake Ani-Mumuney, In her capacity as Regional Vice President For Africa of WFA at the opening of the WFA Global Marketer Conference in Lisbon, an event which brings together more than 800 industry leaders, 80% of whom are brand owners.

News

Sack Wike Now, Niger Delta Youths Tell Tinubu

Published

1 day ago

March 15, 2025

Eric

The youth chapter of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, to retract his publicly disparaging remarks against the Ijaw nation and the leaders of this socio-political body.

According to the youths, it is embarrassing that Wike insulted the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even in death without respecting him.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, the National Youth President of the Youth Wing, Doben Donyegha, who gave the ultimatum, said that it was annoying that Wike abused the leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Wike, during a media chat on Thursday, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.

Donyegha, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the minister from his cabinet, said that the youth wing no longer had confidence in him and that keeping Wike in his cabinet may affect the president’s re-election chances in the Niger Delta come 2027.

The President of the PANDEF youths also asked the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the minister, alleging land-grabbing activities in the FCT.

News

Ahead Budget Presentation, Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly Adjourns Sitting Indefinitely

Published

2 days ago

March 14, 2025

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has adjourned its sittings indefinitely.

The decision to adjourn legislative duties indefinitely was reached during plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The development comes hours after the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, wrote to the Speaker, informing him of his intention to visit the House to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration and approval.

The governor, in a letter dated March 13 and addressed to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said he intends to present the budget on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, or any other day within March that the House may deem fit.

Fubara said his decision is in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment and in response to the lawmakers’ request for him to re-present the budget.

He recalled the bitter experience of visiting the Assembly Quarters with his entourage, where the lawmakers were temporarily sitting to present the budget, but he was denied access to the complex.

News

Suspension: Natasha Sues Akpabio, Others for Contempt

Published

3 days ago

March 13, 2025

Eric

The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed contempt charges against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and others over her six-month suspension without pay from the Senate.

Others listed in the Form 48 contempt charge, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja and sighted on Thursday, include the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuen.

It will be recalled that Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on 4 March, while delivering a ruling on an ex parte motion filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan through her legal team led by Mr. Michael Numa (SAN), restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct from proceeding with any investigation against the plaintiff/applicant.

This investigation related to alleged misconduct following events that occurred during the Senate plenary session on February 20, 2025 and a subsequent referral on February 25, 2025.

The court’s order was to remain in effect pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

The court also issued an order directing the defendants to show cause why an interlocutory injunction should not be granted to restrain them from proceeding with the purported investigation against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for alleged misconduct, as such actions would affect her privileges as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.

Additionally, the court declared that “any action taken during the pendency of the suit is null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”

The Court granted Akpoti-Uduaghan permission to serve the originating summons and accompanying documents on all defendants through substituted means, such as delivering them to the Clerk of the National Assembly, cited as the 1st Defendant, or by pasting them on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing them in two national dailies.

However, just two days after the court’s ruling, the Senate proceeded to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months.

In response to the court order, the Senate President contested the power of the court to interfere in the internal affairs of the legislature, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction to intervene in Senate matters.

In her contempt charge, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that her suspension constituted wilful disobedience to the subsisting court order issued on March 4 stating that an enrolled order of the interim injunction issued by Justice Egwuatu was duly served on the defendants on March 5.

According to Form 48, the defendants/contemnors “deliberately and contumaciously disregarded” the binding directive of the court and “proceeded with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of the court.”

The court, in a notice of disobedience of a court order signed by its Registrar pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, informed the defendants/contemnors of their wilful disobedience to the court order issued by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.

It warned that defying the subsisting order rendered Akpabio, Senator Imasuen, and the Clerk of the National Assembly liable for contempt of court, which could result in their committal to prison.