In a development sending shockwaves through diplomatic corridors, the Federal Court of Canada has officially upheld a ruling labeling Nigeria’s two major political parties—the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—as terrorist organisations under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). The judgment effectively sealed the fate of asylum seeker Douglas Egharevba, who had sought refugee status on account of his former membership in both parties
Background and Ruling Details
- Asylum Bid Denied: The Court dismissed Egharevba’s application, agreeing with the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD). The IAD had determined that his party affiliations rendered him inadmissible under paragraph 34(1)(f) of IRPA, which bars immigration applicants associated with organizations that engage in terrorism or subversion .
- June 17, 2025 Judgment: Justice Phuong T.V. Ngo delivered the ruling, noting that the violence linked to both the APC and PDP—including ballot-stuffing, snatching, intimidation, and even politically motivated killings—met Canada’s legal threshold for “terrorism.” These actions, the court said, were employed to “intimidate the public or a segment of the public… for a political objective.”
- Historical Basis of Findings: Court findings cited incidents from Nigeria’s 2003 and 2004 elections, where the PDP—then the ruling party—was accused of orchestrating widespread electoral violence, and the APC was implicated in similar wrongdoing .
Reactions from Nigeria
PDP’s Dissent:
- Timothy Osadolor, Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, denounced the ruling as “misinformed, biased and lacking evidence.” He asserted there’s clear evidence against individuals, but “to say an entire political party is a terrorist organisation is wrong.”
Alarming Precedents:
- Olufemi Soneye, former NNPC communications chief, warned the ruling sets a dangerous global precedent. It risks treating democratically elected parties as extremist entities, imperiling the legitimacy of political participation and freedom of association in democratic nations .
- Daily Trust quoted Osadolor emphasizing that the court should have targeted individuals—not entire political institutions—and that the decision reflects an overreach by foreign jurisdictions into domestic politics .
APC’s Denouncement:
- Senator Ajibola Bashiru, APC National Secretary, dismissed the court’s jurisdiction over Nigerian political parties, describing the judgment as “delivered from a jaundiced perspective” and lacking legitimacy under Canadian laws, which do not extend extraterritorially .
Implications and Significance
This ruling reframes political affiliations as grounds for criminal ineligibility under Canadian immigration law. For Nigerians abroad—even those with no personal involvement in violence—party membership alone could engender visa rejections, asylum denials, or heightened scrutiny .
Critics argue that the decision politicizes Canada’s robust mandate on national security, turning a blind eye to democratic norms and failing to differentiate between institutional affiliation and individual culpability .
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