…Says Name-Calling Won’t Erase Global Consequences
…Urges FG To Engage Immigration Lawyers Immediately
By Yinka Giwa
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has told the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that dismissing a Canadian court ruling with insults is no solution, stressing that only concrete proof can clear Nigeria’s two leading parties of terrorism allegations.
Falana was reacting to the judgment of Justice Phuong Ngo of the Canadian Federal Court, who, while rejecting the asylum claim of a Nigerian national, Douglas Egharevba, declared that both APC and PDP qualified as “terrorist organisations” because of their history of election-related violence, coercion, and subversion of democratic processes.
In a statement issued yesterday, Falana said the ruling, though foreign, carries significant implications for Nigeria’s political system and its citizens abroad. He explained that Canada’s definition aligns closely with Nigeria’s own Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, which criminalises the use of intimidation, violence, or coercion for political purposes.
“It is common knowledge that APC and PDP rig elections and announce fake results with the help of armed thugs, police, and military personnel. Violence, killings, and voter intimidation have repeatedly characterised our elections without accountability for perpetrators,” Falana stated.
He criticised the immediate reactions of both parties — with APC branding the judge “ignorant” and PDP calling the ruling “mischievous” — as weak attempts to deflect responsibility. “Instead of abusing the Canadian judge, APC and PDP should urgently adopt legal and political measures to prove they are not terrorist organisations,” he said.
Falana further warned that the ruling could have far-reaching collateral effects. He urged the Federal Government to urgently retain immigration lawyers to challenge the stigma abroad, stressing that if the judgment is cited in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and other countries, members of both parties could face visa denials or deportation.
“The federal government’s protest alone will not reverse the judgment. Without urgent intervention, Nigerians affiliated with these parties risk being treated as members of outlawed organisations,” he warned.
According to him, the best antidote is genuine reform at home: strict enforcement of the Electoral Act, accountability for violence, and a commitment to democratic practices. “Our institutions must show the world that Nigeria’s political parties operate within constitutional limits. Only then can the cloud of infamy be lifted,” he said.
Falana maintained that the controversy should serve as a wake-up call for Nigeria’s political establishment, warning that the credibility of the nation’s democracy now faces global scrutiny.