Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prove that they are not terrorist organisations.
This is coming after a controversial ruling by a Canadian Federal Court, which described both parties as entities that have engaged in conduct that amounts to terrorism under Canadian law.
Speaking via a press statement, Falana urged the country’s major political parties to tackle the major concerns raised rather than rubbish the judge’s ruling as ignorant or defamatory.
According to him, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 of Nigeria states that terrorism includes the use of violence, intimidation, or forceful tactics with political motives, and it is common knowledge that these atrocities have been the order of the day during recent elections in the country.
He stated that APC is now known to rig elections with the help of thugs and army men just to gain power.
“It is common knowledge that APC and PDP rig elections and announce fake results with the assistance of armed thugs, police and military personnel,” he said.
Blasting the APC and the PDP for their angry reactions to the ruling, Falana stressed that their responses failed to address the major issues raised.
He concluded by saying that if the ruling was established in top countries like the U.S and the U.K, party members of both political parties would have had their visas revoked immediately.
“Instead of abusing the Canadian judge, the APC and PDP should urgently adopt legal measures to prove that they are not terrorist organisations.
If the ruling is registered in the United States, United Kingdom, France and elsewhere, members of the APC and PDP may have their visas revoked and may be deported.
The federal government should hire immigration lawyers to take urgent action to remove the stigma of infamy contained in the judgment. The collateral damage will certainly affect other citizens since the government of their homeland has been sponsored by two terrorist political parties,” he added.
