Presidential Aide’s defence of Facebook judgment sparks debate over role in ARCON dispute

By Tunde Oso A public commentary by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Communications, Engagement and New Media Strategy, O’tega Ogra, defending a recent Federal High Court judgment involving Facebook Nigeria and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), has drawn criticism from marketing communications expert and public affairs commentator, Ewa Izuchukwu.

In a statement sent to Vanguard, Izuchukwu questioned Ogra’s decision to publicly defend the judgment, arguing that the intervention could create the perception that the Presidency is taking sides in a legal dispute involving a federal regulatory agency and Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook.

Responding to Ogra’s position that consumer protection falls primarily under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Izuchukwu argued that several sector-specific regulators, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), routinely exercise consumer protection powers within their respective statutory mandates.