A Canadian court ruling that classified Nigeria’s two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as terrorist organizations has been strongly condemned by both parties.
They argue that the decision threatens Nigeria’s democratic image and sets a dangerous international precedent.
The controversy stems from a June 17, 2025, judgment by Justice Phuong Ngo of the Federal Court of Canada, which upheld an earlier decision to deny asylum to Douglas Egharevba, a former member of both parties.
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The denial was based on allegations that the parties were involved in “political violence, subversion of democracy, and electoral bloodshed.”
The court found that even mere membership in an organization linked to democratic subversion is enough to trigger inadmissibility under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), even without proof of personal involvement.
Timothy Osadolor, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, called the decision “misinformed, biased, and lacking evidence.” He insisted that “there’s nothing to show that even the malfunctioning APC is a terrorist organisation or the PDP, which is a credible institution.”
Similarly, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, the APC National Secretary, described the ruling as being “delivered from a jaundiced perspective” and stated that the Canadian court had no jurisdiction over Nigerian political parties.
He stressed that the “APC is a credible democratic political organisation and does not seek legitimacy from a foreign bench and under a law that has no extraterritorial application.”
He also criticized “desperate and unpatriotic Nigerians” for enabling what he called “unpalatable commentary by racist judges” through their asylum claims.
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