“This baseless classification… constitutes an unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and democratic processes.”
The Federal Government, on Friday, demanded that Canadian authorities retract a court verdict labelling Nigeria’s two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as terrorist organizations.
In a statement, foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa condemned the ruling as “reckless and false,” warning it amounts to interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs. “This baseless classification… constitutes an unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and democratic processes,” the statement read.
The government stressed the verdict, by extension, tags past and present presidents including Bola Tinubu, Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari as terrorists. It urged Canada to engage through diplomatic channels to correct the “grave misrepresentation.”
The ruling, upheld by the Canadian Federal Court on June 17, 2025, refused asylum to former party member Douglas Egharevba. Nigeria insists its political parties operate lawfully and are integral to its democracy, warning the designation could incite unnecessary tension.