Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prove that they are not terrorist organisations.
The call follows a controversial ruling by a Canadian Federal Court which described both parties as having engaged in conduct amounting to terrorism under Canadian law.
In a statement issued on Monday, Falana urged Nigeria’s major political parties to address the serious concerns raised by the court, rather than dismissing the judge’s pronouncements as ignorant or mischievous.
The Canadian judge, Justice Phuong Ngo, made the declaration while dismissing the asylum appeal of a Nigerian, Douglas Egharevba, ruling that Nigeria’s two main political parties — APC and PDP — were “terrorist organisations” because they allegedly use violence, coercion and subversion of democratic institutions in their bid to acquire political power.
Femi Falana, has warned that a Canadian Federal Court ruling describing Nigeria’s two major political parties as having engaged in terrorism carries serious implications for the country.
Speaking on the matter, Falana noted that under Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, terrorism includes the use of violence, intimidation, or coercion with political or ideological motives — tactics he argued have become commonplace during elections in Nigeria.
“It is common knowledge that APC and PDP rig elections and announce fake results with the assistance of armed thugs, police, and military personnel,” Falana said, adding that electoral violence, killings, and attacks on voters have repeatedly occurred without perpetrators being held accountable.
The activist criticised both parties for their immediate reactions to the Canadian ruling. While the APC labelled the judge “ignorant” and the PDP described the decision as “mischievous,” Falana said such responses fail to address the substantive issues raised.
“Instead of abusing the Canadian judge, the APC and PDP should urgently adopt legal measures to prove that they are not terrorist organisations,” he stated.
Falana also urged the Federal Government to engage immigration lawyers promptly, warning that the ruling could lead to visa denials or deportation of Nigerian citizens abroad who are members of the APC and PDP.
“If the ruling is recognised in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and elsewhere, members of the APC and PDP may have their visas revoked or face deportation,” he said.
He further stressed that Nigeria’s protest to the Canadian authorities would not reverse the judgment. Falana called on security agencies and the judiciary to ensure that political parties and their members operate strictly within constitutional and legal frameworks, particularly during elections.
”The federal government should hire immigration lawyers to take urgent action to remove the stigma of infamy contained in the judgment. The collateral damage will certainly affect other citizens since the government of their homeland has been sponsored by two terrorist political parties,” Falana warned.