Connect with us

News

Falana: APC and PDP Must Demonstrate They Are Not Terrorist Organizations

Published

on

Spread the love

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to urgently pursue legal action to refute a recent Canadian court ruling that labelled them as terrorist organisations.

In a statement on Monday, Falana argued that instead of hurling insults at the Canadian court, the Nigerian political parties should clear their names.

“Instead of abusing the Canadian judge, the APC and PDP should, as a matter of urgency, adopt legal measures to prove that they are not terrorist organisations,” he said.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) linked the Canadian court’s ruling to Nigeria’s history of violent elections, rigging and political impunity, which he said validates the Canadian court’s decision.

“It is common knowledge that both APC and PDP rig elections and announce fake results with the assistance of armed police personnel and soldiers. Concerned citizens who kick against rigging are violently attacked and killed, while the perpetrators are never prosecuted,” he noted.

Falana recalled past remarks by political leaders, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s declaration that the 2003 election was a “do-or-die affair,” and President Bola Tinubu’s 2023 statement urging his supporters to “fight for power, grab it, snatch it, and run with it”.

The human rights lawyer said such rhetoric, coupled with widespread electoral violence, reinforced the Canadian court’s finding that Nigeria’s ruling parties operate through brute force.

He further criticised the Nigerian government for what he described as a class-biased application of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act.

According to him, while unarmed citizens arrested during the #EndHardship protests (#EndBadGovernance) still face terrorism charges, politicians who embezzle public funds, “leading to the deaths of poor citizens, are never tried for terrorism.”

Warning of the international implications of the Canadian judgment, Falana said asylum applications by Nigerians linked to APC or PDP may now be denied, with the risk of deportation from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and France.

“If the ruling is not set aside, it may be registered in the United States, UK, France etc. The implication is that members of the APC and PDP may be deported or have their visas revoked,” he cautioned.

The lawyer urged the federal government to act swiftly, stressing, “The government should hire immigration lawyers to take urgent action to remove the stigma of infamy contained in the judgement of the Canadian court.

The collateral damage of the judgement will certainly affect other citizens since the Government of their homeland has been sponsored by two terrorist political parties.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has called on the Canadian authorities to immediately retract what it described as the “erroneous” designation of some political parties in Nigeria as terrorist organisations.

International News

Transfer: Real Madrid , Cucurella Reach Verbal Agreement 

Published

on

Spread the love

 

Chelsea reliable defender, Marc Cucurella may join Spanish giant, Real Madrid before the end of the current transfer window.if information from transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano are anything to go by.

 

Romano In a latest transfer update, said Real Madrid has reached verbal agreement to sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.

“Verbal agreement in place between all parties, player too — he’s the left back wanted by Mourinho” the update read.

Continue Reading

News

Hakimi, Vinicius Barred From Speaking Spanish At World Cup

Published

on

Spread the love

 

FIFA has come under scrutiny after several high-profile players, including Achraf Hakimi and Vinicius Junior, were discouraged from speaking Spanish during media engagements at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.

 

The issue first surfaced ahead of Morocco’s Group C clash with Brazil when a Spanish-speaking journalist attempted to question Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi in Spanish.

Despite Hakimi, who grew up in Madrid and speaks the language fluently, indicating he was comfortable answering in Spanish, event officials reportedly insisted that questions be asked in English.

Hakimi attempted to reassure organizers that language would not be a barrier, but officials maintained that no Spanish translator was available for the session. A compromise was eventually reached, with the reporter asking the question in Spanish while Hakimi responded in English.

The controversy intensified during Brazil’s media session when Vinicius Junior was also interrupted while responding to a question in Spanish.

The Real Madrid forward, who is more comfortable speaking Portuguese or Spanish than English, was reportedly asked by organizers to switch languages.

Rather than continue in Spanish, Vinicius opted to answer in Portuguese before turning his attention back to Brazil’s World Cup preparations.

The incidents sparked widespread debate among journalists and fans, many of whom questioned why Spanish—a language spoken by millions across North America—was effectively restricted at a tournament being hosted largely in the United States.

According to Spanish media outlet El País, FIFA only provides Spanish-language translation services at World Cup press conferences involving Spanish-speaking nations such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Paraguay.

For all other teams, questions and answers are expected to be conducted either in English or the official language of the participating country.

The policy has generated criticism online, with many supporters arguing that multilingual communication should be encouraged at a global event like the World Cup.

The backlash was particularly strong in Vinicius’ case, as the Brazilian forward appeared visibly uncomfortable being asked to communicate in English.

The controversy overshadowed what was otherwise a highly anticipated encounter between Brazil and Morocco, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

With the issue now drawing international attention, FIFA may face increasing calls to review its media language guidelines as the tournament progresses.

Continue Reading

News

It’s Illegal’…Falana’s Bombshell Indicts Govs, FG.

Published

on

Spread the love

 

Human rights advocate, Femi Falana, has warned federal and state governments against negotiating with and rewarding terrorists.

 

According to Falana, the practice is illegal.

He stated this while delivering the keynote address at the Amnesty International Second Annual General Meeting in Abuja on June 13, 2026.

Falana claimed it is public knowledge officials of the Federal Government and some State Governments have been holding meetings and negotiating with terrorists and bandits, which has led to thousands of ‘repentant’ criminals being forgiven and given cash gifts of undisclosed sums of money.

Asserting that the “satanic Boko Haram sect and similar bodies have been proscribed” under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Falana insisted that “their members and allies shall be prosecuted and not pampered and forgiven by the Nigerian State.”

Highlighting the legal consequences, he quoted Section 22 of the Act, stating: “A person who knowingly—(a) arranges, manages, assists in arranging or managing, participates in a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, (b) collects, or provides logistics, equipment, information, articles or facilities for a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, or (c) attends a meeting, which in his knowledge is to support a proscribed entity or to further the objectives of a proscribed entity, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of at least 20 years.”

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2026 TheColumn NG