By Reportcircle-Abuja
The Federal Government has rejected a recent ruling by a Canadian federal court designating some Nigerian political parties as “terrorist organizations,” describing the decision as baseless, reckless, and an unacceptable interference in the country’s internal affairs.
The judgment, delivered in a case involving Nigerian national Douglas Egharevba who sought refugee status in Canada in 2017 under the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act reportedly classified entire political parties as terrorist groups without targeting specific individuals accused of wrongdoing.
In a statement issued Friday by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the ruling amounts to branding every member of the affected parties as a potential terrorist, a claim it called “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,” said Kimiebi.
The government urged Canadian authorities to withdraw the designation immediately and avoid actions that could be construed as support for politically motivated narratives against Nigeria.
It also called for engagement through diplomatic channels to resolve the matter.
While reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to combating terrorism, the statement urged the international community to disregard the ruling and maintain confidence in Nigeria’s democratic governance and rule of law.
The Ministry cautioned Nigerian citizens against making “unfounded allegations” about the country in pursuit of asylum or other benefits abroad.
