- Safiu Kehinde
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has slammed African Independent Television (AIT) over misleading report on her remark about the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).
Adeyeye, in a statement issued on Saturday, faulted AIT’s report of her interview last week where the broadcast station claimed in its headline that NAFDAC had implicated PCN in fake medicine.
Describing the report as gross misrepresentation of the facts conveyed during the press interview, the NAFDAC boss demanded public apology from AIT as well as retraction of the publication.
Adeyeye maintained that she had in no way implicated the PCN with any wrongdoing in the course of the interview.
The PCN had also in a statement earlier issued on Monday condemned the report, stressing that it contradicted the NAFDAC DG’s statement.
Aligning herself with the PCN’s stand, Adeyeye reiterated that the publication was a distortion and falsification of the facts.
Citing the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (6th Edition, 2016), particularly Section 5.0, Subsection 5.1.2, Adeyeye demanded retraction of the misleading report; public apology, which must be broadcast at the same level of prominence as the original report; and a commitment to ensure accurate and factual reporting in future coverage of NAFDAC’s activities.
The statement read in part; “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) reviewed with dismay, the recent misleading report aired by Africa Independent Television (AIT) under the headline: “NAFDAC IMPLICATES PHARMACY COUNCIL OF NIGERIA IN FAKE MEDICINES.”
“This headline is a gross misrepresentation of the facts conveyed during the press interview granted by the Director-General of NAFDAC on 1 st March 2025, as nowhere in the interview did the Director-General implicate the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) in any wrongdoing.
“Instead, the Director-General gave a detailed legal, regulatory, and historical perspective on the roles of the two organisations (NAFDAC & PCN) in ensuring the safety of pharmaceuticals and the challenges that arose due to past regulatory inconsistencies.
“It is imperative to note that the Director-General’s remarks highlighted the complementary roles of NAFDAC and PCN in safeguarding public health.
“The Director-General specifically addressed the issue of Patent and Proprietary Medicines Vendors (PPMVs), whose regulation, over time, became a challenge due to fragmented oversight and subsequent litigations.
“At no point was PCN accused of complicity in the circulation of fake medicines.
“In this light, NAFDAC aligns fully with the position of the PCN, as articulated in their official response and vehemently condemns the misrepresentation of the Director-General’s statement during the press conference in question.
“The erroneous headline published by AIT was a distortion and falsification of the facts.
“It was misleading and could undermine the collaborative efforts of NAFDAC and PCN in ensuring pharmaceutical safety and regulatory compliance.
“We wish to remind AIT of its responsibility under the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (6th Edition, 2016), particularly Section 5.0, Subsection 5.1 .2, which mandates that:
“A Broadcaster shall present news as factual and in a correct and fair manner without:
a) distortions, exaggerations or misrepresentations.
b) material omissions; or
c) interpretations.”
AIT’s failure to adhere to these principles constitutes a breach of journalistic ethics and regulatory compliance.
“In light of this, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) demands the following:
“An immediate public retraction of the misleading report.
“A public apology, broadcast at the same level of prominence as the original report.
“A commitment to ensure accurate and factual reporting in future coverage of NAFDAC’s activities.
“We trust that AIT will, in swift compliance, take the necessary corrective action without delay to prevent further dissemination of misinformation, as failure to do so will compel the Agency to escalate this matter through appropriate regulatory and legal channels.”