Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has urged Nigeria’s two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to take immediate legal action to prove that they are not terrorist organisations.
Falana’s call follows a ruling by the Federal Court of Canada which classified the APC and PDP as terrorist organisations and a threat to democracy in an asylum case involving a Nigerian, Douglas Egharevba.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, Falana criticised the dismissive responses of the parties and the federal government, describing them as “ignorant and mischievous.” He stressed that lodging protests with Canadian authorities would yield no results, since the matter is judicial rather than diplomatic.
“The government should focus on legal strategy instead of attacking the Canadian judicial system,” he said.
The senior advocate noted that Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2022, contains an even broader definition of terrorism than Canadian law, as it covers acts intended to cause death, harm, or intimidation for political, religious, or ideological purposes. He observed that despite the law exempting public protests, some unarmed demonstrators from the #EndHardship protests are still facing terrorism charges in Nigerian courts.
Falana accused the government of shielding politically connected individuals from terrorism-related charges, despite their involvement in large-scale embezzlement that deprives citizens of health and infrastructure. Instead, he said, such figures are often arraigned for lesser financial offences.
He also cited recurring electoral malpractice, violence, and the use of armed security agents and political thugs during elections as corroborating the Canadian court’s view. According to him, incendiary remarks by political leaders and the impunity that follows further undermine Nigeria’s democracy.
“The election riggers dare their opponents to go to court, and judges are left to legitimise fraudulent elections,” Falana lamented.
He added that during recent by-elections, hundreds of political thugs were arrested but are unlikely to face prosecution — a development that reinforces the concerns of the Canadian judgment.
Warning of the potential fallout, Falana said the ruling could lead to visa denials, deportations, and travel restrictions for APC and PDP members in countries such as the US, UK, and France. He urged the federal government to engage immigration lawyers abroad to prevent “the stigma of infamy” from extending to ordinary Nigerians.
“Instead of attacking the Canadian judge, the APC and PDP should, as a matter of urgency, adopt legal measures to prove that they are not terrorist organisations,” he advised.
