Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has warned that the recent Canadian court judgment, which classified the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “terrorist organisations,” carries grave implications for Nigeria’s democracy and international standing.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Beyond Judicial Recognition of APC and PDP as Terrorist Societies’, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) argued that the ruling should not be dismissed with diplomatic protests but should be treated as a wake-up call to address Nigeria’s long-standing culture of electoral violence.
According to Falana, Nigeria’s own Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2022 provides a broad definition of terrorism that covers actions intended to intimidate the public.
Read Also: Why PDP, APC Can’t Appeal Canadian Court’s Judgment Labeling Them As ‘Terrorist Organisations’ – Lawyer
He accused the Federal Government of criminalizing peaceful protesters while shielding politicians responsible for violence and electoral fraud.
He said that both the APC and PDP regularly rig elections with the support of armed thugs, adding, “The election riggers dare their opponents to go to court, and judges in turn confer legitimacy on stolen mandates.”
While the APC and PDP have dismissed the judgment as “ignoramus” and “mischievous,”
Falana insisted that their reactions “merely beg the question.”
He also cited past statements by Nigerian leaders to support the Canadian court’s findings, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s description of the 2003 elections as a “do-or-die affair,” Muhammadu Buhari’s “dog and baboon soaked in blood” warning, and Bola Tinubu’s 2023 declaration to his supporters to “fight for power, grab it, snatch it, and run with it.”
He said, “These reckless utterances, combined with the violence and killings during elections, corroborate the Canadian court’s findings.”
Falana warned that unless Nigeria reforms, the consequences of the judgment could extend beyond the country’s borders.
He said that asylum applications by members of the APC or PDP may now face blanket rejection in Canada and could influence similar rulings in the U.S., U.K., and other Western countries.
He added, “If registered abroad, members of both parties risk deportation, visa denials, and international stigma.”
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