- Canadian Court Declares Nigeria’s APC, PDP Terrorist Organizations.
- Ex-member loses asylum bid over party affiliations.
- Ruling raises global questions on political violence and asylum
The Federal Court of Canada has upheld a ruling that designates Nigeria’s two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, as terrorist organisations.
The decision was delivered by Justice Phuong Ngo on June 17, 2025, and is tied to the denial of asylum for former party member Douglas Egharevba.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Immigration Appeal Division had previously determined that his long-standing affiliations with both parties made him inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Canadian immigration authorities relied on intelligence reports that linked the APC and PDP to violent political activities in Nigeria. Court documents showed that Egharevba was a member of the PDP from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC, where he remained until 2017. He moved to Canada in September 2017 and openly disclosed his political history to immigration officials.
The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness argued that both parties engaged in acts that undermined democracy, including electoral violence and political intimidation, particularly in the early 2000s.
The court’s findings placed significant weight on the PDP’s conduct during the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls, where evidence indicated ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and the killing of opposition supporters.
The leadership’s failure to stop these actions was deemed to fall under Canada’s legal definition of subversion, as outlined in paragraph 34(1)(b.1) of the Act.
Justice Ngo ruled that being a member of any organisation linked to terrorism or subversion is sufficient grounds for inadmissibility under paragraph 34(1)(f), rejecting Egharevba’s claim that violence was common across all Nigerian parties.
The court maintained that while Nigeria’s elections may have flaws, they still qualify as a democratic process under Canadian law, meaning any actions that undermine them are considered subversive. With his application denied, Egharevba now faces deportation, bringing his asylum quest in Canada to an end.
The case has stirred debate over the global implications of political affiliations in countries with histories of electoral violence and their potential impact on international asylum claims.
