A Canadian Federal Court has reaffirmed a landmark decision by declaring Nigeria’s two biggest political parties—the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—as terrorist organizations. The ruling came while denying asylum to former PDP and APC member Douglas Egharevba.
Justice Phuong Ngo delivered the judgment on June 17, 2025, dismissing Egharevba’s request for judicial review. The Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) had found him inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), citing security concerns.
Canadian authorities argued that the PDP and APC were tied to the subversion of democracy, electoral violence, and acts of terror that afflicted Nigerians. Despite Egharevba insisting he was uninvolved in such violence—having joined PDP in 1999 and later APC until 2017—Justice Ngo disagreed. She ruled that membership alone during periods marked by widespread criminal behavior was sufficient to justify exclusion.
Justice Ngo pointed to episodes like the PDP’s involvement in the 2003 and 2004 elections—periods marred by ballot stuffing, intimidation, and political killings—and emphasized that the leadership’s failure to curb those acts constitute subversion under Canadian law. Political membership hence equates to complicity.
The court upheld Canada’s broad interpretation of “membership” within proscribed organizations. As the IRPA states, an admission of such membership is enough to render one inadmissible, irrespective of personal conduct or duration of involvement. The court rejected Egharevba’s claim that political unrest is endemic across all Nigerian parties and does not amount to democratic participation.
Analysts warn this ruling sets a chilling precedent: mainstream political affiliations may now be equated with terrorism—a concept that could spread to immigration policies in other democracies. Critics fear this could undermine global political pluralism, especially for countries where governance often collides with electoral malpractice.
With Egharevba’s asylum case all but closed and deportation likely ahead, Canada’s decision resonates as a sharp rebuke of Nigeria’s political establishment. It underscores a sobering message: democracies abroad may redefine association with dominant parties as grounds for exclusion, no conviction required.
