The Nigerian government has condemned the Canadian Federal Court’s classification of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as terrorist organizations. The government views this as a baseless and unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and democratic processes.
Key Points of the Nigerian Government’s Response:
The government has described the designation as reckless and baseless. Nigeria considers the ruling an unacceptable interference in its internal affairs and democratic processes. Nigeria asserts that it is a sovereign nation with a robust legal and constitutional framework governing political activities. Political parties operate within the law and are integral to the country’s democracy.
The government believes that associating legitimate political entities with terrorism without credible evidence is a grave misrepresentation that undermines Nigeria’s democratic institutions and could incite unnecessary tension. The Nigerian government is calling on Canadian authorities to immediately retract the designation and refrain from actions that could be misconstrued as endorsing politically motivated narratives against Nigeria.
The government criticized the ruling for targeting entire political parties rather than focusing on individual culpability. Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to the global fight against terrorism and has made significant strides in countering extremist groups within its borders. The government urges Nigerian nationals to refrain from making unfounded allegations against Nigeria under the pretext of seeking asylum or favors from foreign entities.
Other Reactions:
Both the APC and PDP have condemned the ruling. The APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, described the presiding judge as an “ignoramus.” The PDP characterized the classification as “misinformed, biased, and lacking evidence.” Both parties warned that the ruling is a brazen interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and could set a very dangerous precedent.
Olufemi Soneye, former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, decried the dangerous precedent the court verdict sets, cautioning that labeling established political parties as terrorist groups undermines their legitimacy at home and abroad. The court’s decision was based on the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). The court documents stated that the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness argued that the two parties were implicated in political violence, democratic subversion, and electoral bloodshed, citing incidents such as the PDP’s alleged conduct in the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls, which reportedly involved ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and the killing of opposition supporters.
