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Prove You Are Not Terrorist Organisations, Falana Challenges APC, PDP

Published

3 weeks ago

August 18, 2025

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has asked the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party to demonstrate that they are not terrorist organisations, following a ruling by a Canadian Federal Court which described both parties as entities engaging in conduct amounting to terrorism under Canadian law.

In a statement on Monday, Falana said the parties should address the grave issues raised in the judgment rather than dismissing the pronouncements of Justice Phuong Ngo, who had ruled that Nigeria’s two dominant parties “use violence, coercion and subversion of democratic institutions in their bid to acquire political power.”

The ruling came in the dismissal of the asylum appeal of a Nigerian, Douglas Egharevba, with the court declaring APC and PDP as “terrorist organisations.”

Falana warned that the verdict carried far-reaching implications, pointing out that under Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, terrorism is defined as the use of violence, intimidation, or coercive tactics with political or ideological motives — actions he said are frequently observed during elections in the country.

“It is common knowledge that APC and PDP rig elections and announce fake results with the assistance of armed thugs, police and military personnel,” Falana said.

He added that electoral processes in Nigeria have often been marred by violence, killings, and voter intimidation without perpetrators facing justice.

He also criticised the parties’ immediate responses to the ruling, noting that while the APC described the Canadian judge as “ignorant” and the PDP labelled the decision “mischievous,” both failed to tackle the substantive issues.
“Instead of abusing the Canadian judge, the APC and PDP should urgently adopt legal measures to prove that they are not terrorist organisations,” he said.
Falana further urged the Federal Government to act swiftly by engaging immigration lawyers to mitigate the potential consequences of the ruling.

“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,” he cautioned.

He stressed that mere diplomatic protests to Canadian authorities would not undo the judgment, insisting that Nigerian judges and security agencies must hold political parties accountable to constitutional and legal standards, particularly during elections.

“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,” Falana warned.

The senior lawyer also called for strict enforcement of the Electoral Act and prosecution of election offenders, arguing that restoring credibility to Nigeria’s democratic processes is the only way to protect its global image.

Related Topics:#Femi Falana APC Falana PDP

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JUST IN: FG, NUPENG Begin Meeting Over Strike Threat

Published

46 minutes ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government is currently meeting with the leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.

The meeting which was earlier slated for 10:00 am started around 5:30 pm due to the delay in the arrivals of NUPENG officials.

The meeting currently ongoing at the conference room of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity is aimed at stopping the nationwide industrial strike before it inflicts significant damage on the fragile economy.

NUPENG has accused Dangote and associates of pursuing “crude and dangerous anti-union practices, a monopolistic agenda, and indecent industrial relations strategies,” alleging the refinery pays some of the lowest wages in the sector and bars drivers for imported CNG trucks from joining industry unions.

The union says those recruitment conditions violate Section 40 of the Constitution, the Labour Act and International Labour Organisation conventions on freedom of association.

Details later…

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Five Years After, Edo Govt Reconnects To BEDC As Ossiomo Shut Down

Published

3 hours ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Five years after disconnecting from the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) Edo State Government has reconnected to the power distribution company for supply of electricity.

The Godwin Obaseki-led administration in 2020 broke BEDC monopoly in the state by supporting the construction of Ossiomo Power, an electricity generation and distribution firm.

The switch over to BEDC by the state government was due to the shut down of Ossiomo Power Plant since September 1st over ownership tussle between Ossiomo Power and its Chinese partners, Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology (CCETC).

Ossiomo Power generates 95MW of electricity which it supplied to government buildings, Edo Government House, Edo NUJ secretariat, private organisations, streetlights amongst others.

Director General of the Edo State Electrification Agency, Saturday Omozokpea Egbadon, who confirmed the switch over to the BEDC, said electricity has been restored to some streetlights and government buildings.

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NSCDC Vows To Bring Killers Of Edo personnel To Justice

Published

3 hours ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has vowed to fish out the killers of eight of its personnel in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of the state.

The personnel were killed last week Friday at around 10:00PM at BUA cement factory site
in an ambush by suspected kidnappers.

One out of five Chinese expatriates the personnel were providing cover for was taken away by the gunmen.

Reacting to the incident, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Efosa Ogbebor said investigation into the matter was still ongoing, adding and that the Corps National Headquarters was also handling the burial of the victims and welfare of their family members.

He said: “The National headquarters has taken over the issue, investigation is still ongoing and our men are still out there combing the forests because those men must be brought to book. The Corps is not taking it lightly in any way, those people who did that must and will be brought to book, there is no hiding place for them. We are doing the combing in collaboration with other security agencies.

“For the victims, communication has been established with families by the Corps Headquarters and the welfare of the families they left behind is being handled by the national headquarters.”

Speaking on the kidnapped expatriate, the imagemaker said he was not aware of any contact yet but vowed that he would be rescued.