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APC, PDP slam Canadian court’s terrorist label as baseless

APC PDP compressed

Nigeria’s two dominant political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have issued scathing condemnations of a June 17, 2025, Canadian Federal Court ruling classifying them as terrorist organisations, labelling the decision baseless, biased, and a direct affront to Nigeria’s democratic reputation.

The ruling, which has sparked widespread outrage among political stakeholders, is seen as a potential threat to Nigeria’s international standing and could set a damaging precedent for Nigerians abroad, particularly in Western democracies.

The controversy originated from a Federal Court decision by Justice Phuong Ngo, upholding an Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) ruling under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

The IAD denied asylum to Douglas Egharevba, a Nigerian who was a PDP member from 1999 to 2007 and later joined the APC until 2017, citing both parties’ alleged involvement in political violence, electoral subversion, and bloodshed.

The court referenced incidents during the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls, where the PDP was accused of ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and killing opposition supporters.

Justice Ngo ruled that party leadership benefited from such violence and failed to intervene, meeting Canada’s legal definition of subversion under IRPA paragraph 34(1)(b.1). Under paragraph 34(1)(f), mere membership in an organization linked to terrorism or democratic subversion is sufficient for inadmissibility, even without evidence of personal involvement.

APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, rejected the ruling as “delivered from a jaundiced perspective,” arguing that the Canadian court lacks jurisdiction over Nigerian political parties.

“The APC is a credible democratic organisation and does not seek legitimacy from a foreign bench under a law with no extraterritorial application,” Bashiru declared.

He accused “desperate and unpatriotic Nigerians” of enabling what he called “unpalatable commentary by racist judges” through asylum claims, emphasising that the APC remains committed to advancing Nigeria’s democracy and will not be defined by foreign mischaracterisations.

PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, similarly denounced the ruling as “misinformed, biased, and lacking evidence,” calling on Canadian authorities to dismiss it outright.

“Nigeria and Canada are both democracies. There’s no evidence to suggest that the PDP, a credible institution, or even the malfunctioning APC are terrorist organisations,” Osadolor stated.

He argued that any individuals with terrorism links should face targeted investigations rather than blanket condemnation of entire political parties, which he said undermines Nigeria’s democratic framework.