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The Nigerian government says it rejects the alleged designation of Nigeria’s two largest parties, APC and PDP, as terrorist organisations by a Canadian federal court.
The Canadian court gave the controversial ruling in a case involving Douglas Egharevba, a Nigerian who arrived in Canada in September 2017 and applied for refugee status.
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Mr Evhareba applied for refugee status under the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which allows foreign nationals to seek protection if they fear persecution, torture, or risk to their life or safety in their home country.
Although there have been Nigerian media reports that the court declared APC and PDP as terrorist organisations, a review of the court judgment by PREMIUM TIMES shows the court made no such declaration.
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In a statement issued on Friday, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the declaration by the Canadian Court as a “baseless classification” and an interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
When PREMIUM TIMES approached a foreign ministry spokesperson to avail him of our findings, he said the ministry stands by its statement.
The ministry stated that the declaration was “not only reckless but also constitutes an unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s democratic processes.”
The ministry noted that the designation of both parties as terrorist organisations casts sweeping accusations of terrorism on every party member, including present and previous national leaders.
“The Court made a sweeping accusation against the entire membership of a political party. The larger ramification of the decision is that every member of the mentioned political parties is a potential terrorist, and that is completely false and unacceptable.”
It added that both parties have produced democratically elected presidents. It also argued that the court should have limited its judgment to individuals found culpable, rather than the parties as a whole.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation with a robust legal and constitutional framework governing political activities. Our political parties operate within the ambit of the law and are integral to the country’s vibrant democracy.
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“To associate legitimate political entities with terrorism without credible evidence is a grave misrepresentation that undermines Nigeria’s democratic institutions and could incite unnecessary tension.
“Diplomatic channels remain open for constructive dialogue, and we urge the Government of Canada to engage with the relevant Nigerian institutions to rectify this error,” it added.
The ministry urged the international community to disregard the ruling, describing it as misguided, and reaffirmed the country’s dedication to democratic governance and the rule of law.
It also noted that Nigeria was committed to the global fight against terrorism and had made significant strides in countering extremist groups within its borders.
The Nigerian government further warned citizens within and outside the country against “making unfounded allegations against Nigeria under the pretext of seeking asylum or favours from foreign entities.”
