The Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed deep concerns over the recent ruling by a Canadian Federal court that erroneously designates certain political parties in Nigeria as “terrorist organizations.”
Spokesperson to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
TheFact Daily gathered that on June 17, 2025, Justice Phuong Ngo upheld an earlier decision of the Immigration Appeal Division denying asylum to Nigerian national, Douglas Egharevba over his decade-long affiliation with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), which he tagged terrorist organisations.
“This baseless 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. 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”, Ebienfa said.
He added that Nigeria was 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.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, therefore, called on the Canadian authorities to immediately retract the erroneous designation and refrain from actions that 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, called 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 concluded.
