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By Chinelo Obogo
The Federal Government of Nigeria has rejected the designation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as terrorist organisations by a Canadian court.
Reacting to the case involving a Nigerian, Douglas Egharevba, who arrived in Canada in September 2017 and applied for inland refugee status under the immigration and Refugee Protection Act of Canada, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the recent ruling by a Canadian Federal court that designates certain political parties in Nigeria as “terrorist organizations” is erroneous.
He said this classification is not only reckless but also constitutes an unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and democratic processes.
”The Court made a sweeping accusation against the entire membership of a political party that has produced three democratically elected presidents, instead of focusing on individuals found wanting.
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“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.
”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.
“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,” he said.
In its response, the Government of Nigeria called on the Canadian authorities to immediately retract the designation and refrain from actions it said could be misconstrued as endorsing politically motivated narratives against Nigeria.
”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.
”Nigeria remains committed to the global fight against terrorism and has made significant strides in countering extremist groups within its borders; therefore, it calls on the international community to disregard this misguided ruling and reaffirm its confidence in Nigeria’s democratic governance and rule of law.
”The government further urges Nigerian nationals to refrain from making unfounded allegations against Nigeria under the pretext of seeking asylum or favours from foreign entities”, the statement reads.
