…Warns ruling could impact Nigeria’s democracy, international standing
…Says verdict may affect visas, deportations of party members abroad
…What a reckless fabrication — APC Nat’l Publicity Secretary claps back
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Femi Falana, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to challenge through legal means a Canadian Federal Court judgment that described the two parties as “terrorist organisations.”
The ruling, delivered by Justice Phuong Ngo, dismissed the asylum application of a Nigerian, Douglas Egharevba, on the grounds that Nigeria’s two dominant political parties “use violence, coercion and subversion of democratic institutions in their bid to acquire political power.”
In her decision, the judge declared that both APC and PDP qualify as “terrorist organisations” under Canadian law.
Speaking on Monday, Falana warned that the ruling carries grave implications for Nigeria’s democratic image and international standing.
“It is common knowledge that APC and PDP rig elections and announce fake results with the assistance of armed thugs, police and military personnel,” he remarked.
He pointed out that Nigeria’s electoral process has repeatedly been characterised by killings, voter suppression and political violence, with little or no accountability for perpetrators.
Criticising the dismissive posture of the two parties, Falana stated: “Instead of abusing the Canadian judge, the APC and PDP should urgently adopt legal measures to prove that they are not terrorist organisations.”
The SAN further warned that the judgment could have serious repercussions for members of both parties abroad.
“If the ruling is registered in the United States, United Kingdom, France and elsewhere, members of the APC and PDP may have their visas revoked and may be deported,” he cautioned.
Falana also advised the federal government to take concrete steps beyond diplomatic protest. “The 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,” he said.
He also pressed for the strict enforcement of Nigeria’s Electoral Act and prosecution of electoral offenders. According to him, only credible elections can protect the country’s democracy and restore its global reputation.
Meanwhile, the APC dismissed the reports, insisting that no Canadian court had declared it a terrorist organisation. The party described the claim as “a reckless fabrication.”
Felix Morka, the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, said the confusion stemmed from a misrepresentation of the 17 June 2025 ruling delivered by Justice Ngo.
The case involved Douglas Egharevba, a Nigerian who sought judicial review of the Canadian Immigration Appeal Division’s (IAD) decision that he was inadmissible to Canada under the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
Quoting directly from the judgment, Morka noted: “I cannot find the IAD’s conclusion that the elections in question constituted a democratic process or institution and that the PDP, its members and supporters engaged in subversive acts committed against the electoral process for the improper purpose of maintaining political power to be unreasonable.”
He clarified that the only mention of the APC in the 16-page judgment was in paragraph four, which merely referenced Egharevba’s political background.
According to Morka, Justice Ngo deliberately refrained from assessing terrorism in the ruling, stating: “Having found that the IAD’s analysis on subversion was reasonable, this is sufficient to dismiss the application for review. I will therefore refrain from analysing the IAD’s findings on terrorism.”
He dismissed the reports suggesting the APC had been classified as a terrorist organisation as “patently erroneous, if not mischievous,” stressing that the party was not a respondent in the case. Any such designation, he said, would amount to “an unjustifiable overreach and a major breach of fair hearing, among other due process rights.”
The APC spokesperson urged members, supporters and the public to disregard the false reports, warning that such distortions could needlessly tarnish the party’s image and mislead the public.
