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Canadian Court Declares Nigeria’s PDP, APC ‘Terrorist Organisations’
A federal court in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, has declared Nigeria’s two leading political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), as “terrorist organisations” involved in electoral violence, ballot box snatching, and intimidation.
The ruling was delivered on June 17, 2025, by Justice Ngo in an immigration appeal case involving Nigerian national Douglas Egharevba.
Egharevba, a Nigerian citizen, entered Canada in September 2017 and filed an inland refugee claim. In his background declaration, he confirmed being a member of the PDP from December 1999 to December 2007, and later a member of the APC from December 2007 to May 2017.
He argued that he had never personally participated in political violence or subversion. However, the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) in March 2024 upheld findings that his membership linked him to organisations engaged in anti-democratic acts.
Justice Ngo ruled that there were reasonable grounds to believe Egharevba was affiliated with organisations involved in acts of subversion against a democratic government, institution, or process as understood in Canada.
“The Applicant most likely downplayed his knowledge and the seriousness of political violence committed by the parties in which he was involved,” the judgment read.
The court described the PDP, Nigeria’s ruling party from 1999 to 2015, as having committed ballot-stuffing, ballot box snatching, intimidation, violence, and murder of opposition supporters and candidates during elections.
It added that the APC, Nigeria’s current ruling party, had also been implicated in political violence and subversion.
The court dismissed Egharevba’s application for a judicial review, affirming the previous decision that he was inadmissible to Canada under paragraph 34(1)(f) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
“Given the above, the Decision is not unreasonable and the application for judicial review must therefore be dismissed,” Justice Ngo concluded.
The ruling, though specific to an immigration case, has raised questions about how Nigeria’s political climate is perceived internationally, especially regarding the conduct of its dominant parties.
