Prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana has called on Nigeria’s leading political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to urgently pursue legal action to refute a Canadian Federal Court ruling branding them as terrorist organizations.
In a statement issued Monday, Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, criticized the parties for dismissing the ruling rather than addressing its serious implications. “Instead of attacking the Canadian judge, the APC and PDP should take immediate legal steps to prove they are not terrorist groups,” he said, according to Channels TV.
The Canadian court’s decision, delivered by Justice Phuong Ngo on June 17, 2025, stemmed from the rejected asylum appeal of Nigerian Douglas Egharevba, who was linked to both parties. The court cited their alleged use of violence, coercion, and subversion of democratic processes as grounds for the terrorist designation.
Falana tied the ruling to Nigeria’s history of electoral malpractice, including vote rigging and violence, often involving armed thugs, police, and military personnel. “It’s widely known that both parties manipulate elections and declare false results, with perpetrators of violence rarely facing justice,” he stated. He referenced inflammatory remarks, such as former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s “do-or-die” comment about the 2003 election and President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 call to “grab, snatch, and run with” power, arguing this fuel a culture of electoral aggression.
He also criticized Nigeria’s selective enforcement of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, noting that while unarmed #EndBadGovernance protesters face terrorism charges, politicians who misappropriate public funds, causing widespread harm, often escape scrutiny.
Falana warned of severe global repercussions, including potential visa denials and deportations for APC and PDP members in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and France if the ruling is upheld internationally. “This could tarnish Nigeria’s image and affect ordinary citizens, as their government is seen as backed by terrorist-linked parties,” he cautioned, urging the federal government to hire immigration lawyers to contest the judgment.
The Nigerian government has rejected the ruling as “erroneous” and called for its immediate withdrawal, arguing it misrepresents the country’s democratic framework.
