Wednesday, February 19, 2014
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Appointment of Foreign Consultants:
PRCAN Slams APC
The
Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), the umbrella body
of certified Public Relations firms in Nigeria, has condemned the disclosure by
the All Progressives Congress (APC) that it had engaged the services of AKPD Message
and Media, a United States-based Public Relations and Public Affairs
Consultancy firm, to manage the party’s campaign for the 2015 general
elections.
In
a press statement jointly signed by the association’s President, Chido Nwakanma
and Publicity Secretary, Israel Jaiye Opayemi, PRCAN faulted the move on the
grounds of extant Nigerian laws, respect for Nigerian professionals and job
creation.
PRCAN stated,”It is
dumbfounding that a political party that positions itself as progressive and
actuated by a desire to reposition Nigeria would by its actions show its
preference for foreign professionals against tried and tested practitioners at
home, thereby evincing a contrary desire to promote local unemployment.
“Political
communication is country specific and follows from the dictum that all politics
is local. Local issues will determine the direction of the pendulum in the next
elections. Certified local professionals who live and do business in the
country are in the best position to understand the issues, including the local
nuances and peculiarities of our media.”
PRCAN said it would
no longer be quiet in the face of disregard for Nigerian professionals and the
enabling law for communication practice in Nigeria. “PRCAN gives notice to APC
and other political parties of its resolve to ensure a stop to the practice of
bringing in foreign communication firms to handle briefs that Nigerian agencies
are qualified to manage. Enough is enough”, it stated.
The body of public
relations consulting firms said the position of APC runs contrary to Nigerian
law and history of successful political communication by Nigerian firms over
the years.
It then reiterated
the legal position. “Nigerian law is very clear. Only persons certified by the
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations can practise public relations in
Nigeria. Only persons certified by the Advertising Practitioners Council of
Nigeria can similarly offer advertising counsel. ByeLaw No 3 of NIPR Act 16 of 1990 further
requires certification for consulting firms who wish to offer public relations
service in the country.”
PRCAN raised a number of posers
for APC, among which are, “What message is this political party
sending to Nigerians? Is this foreign-is-better mentality what it would bring
to governance? Would it also hire American lawyers or Queen’s Counsels from
England to handle pre- or post-election petitions? .
PRCAN
called on distinguished leaders of the APC who have displayed profound respect
for Nigerian professionals such as its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State and Governor Kayode Fayemi
of Ekiti State to speak up on this matter and return the APC to the path of
honour and respect for Nigerian professionals.
APC
had announced the engagement of prominent international political consultants,
AKPD Message and Media to boost its electoral chances in the upcoming
elections. According to Alhaji Mohammed, the party engaged the services of the
Chicago based firm which he said was best known for its lead role in President
Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012.
The
APC spokesman claimed that the firm also worked with key Democratic Party
candidates throughout the United States and has a strong reputation for
supporting leading populist movements across the globe, citing its track record
of success in political climates akin to Nigeria’s such as Kenya, Tanzania and
Ghana to justify the party’s decision.
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