The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have firmly rejected a Canadian court judgment that classified them as terrorist organisations.
Justice Phuong Ngo of the Federal Court of Canada delivered the ruling on June 17, 2025. It upheld an earlier decision to deny asylum to Douglas Egharevba, a former member of both parties. The court argued that his political ties made him inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
Details of the Canadian Court’s Decision
According to Canadian authorities, the APC and PDP have links to political violence, electoral malpractice, and actions that undermine democracy in Nigeria.
Egharevba belonged to the PDP from 1999 to 2007. He later joined the APC and left in 2017. Upon arriving in Canada, he disclosed his political history. Consequently, the court concluded that his affiliations aligned with Canada’s legal definition of terrorism.
The judge asserted that both parties were culpable. However, he noted the PDP’s longer tenure in power meant it committed more offences. As a result, membership in either party could justify denying entry to Canada.
APC Slams the Judgment
APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru described the decision as “ignorant and baseless.” He insisted that no foreign court has the authority to decide the legal status of a Nigerian political party.
Furthermore, Basiru emphasised that the APC is a credible democratic body. He warned that some Nigerians, in pursuit of asylum, continue to damage the nation’s global image. In addition, he pointed out that the ruling focused solely on an asylum claim and had no jurisdiction over Nigeria’s political system.
PDP Calls Ruling “Unfounded”
Similarly, the PDP dismissed the ruling. Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor described it as “biased, misinformed, and lacking credible evidence.”
He stressed that Nigeria and Canada are both democracies; therefore, such accusations must be handled with caution and based on verifiable facts. Moreover, he argued that authorities should address individual offences instead of making sweeping allegations against political parties.
