Nigeria condemns canadian court’s terrorist tag on APC, PDP

The Federal Government has strongly rejected a ruling by a Canadian Federal Court designating certain Nigerian political parties as terrorist organisations, describing the decision as baseless, reckless, and an unacceptable interference in the country’s internal affairs.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the ruling arose from a case involving a Nigerian, Mr. Douglas Egharevba, who arrived in Canada in 2017 and applied for refugee status under the country’s immigration laws.

According to Ebienfa, the court’s decision amounted to a sweeping generalisation against the entire membership of a political party that has produced three democratically elected presidents, instead of addressing the conduct of individuals found culpable.

“The implication is that every member of the mentioned political parties is a potential terrorist, and that is completely false and unacceptable,” the statement read.

The government stressed that Nigeria is a sovereign nation with a robust constitutional and legal framework guiding political activities, and that its political parties operate lawfully within a vibrant democratic system.

It urged Canadian authorities to retract the “erroneous designation” and to engage relevant Nigerian institutions through diplomatic channels to address the matter.

Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the global fight against terrorism, the government called on the international community to disregard the court’s ruling and maintain confidence in Nigeria’s democratic governance.

It also cautioned Nigerian nationals against making unfounded allegations about the country in pursuit of asylum or favours abroad.