The Federal Court of Canada has upheld a controversial ruling classifying Nigeria’s two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as terrorist organisations.
Naijaonpoint reports that this decision comes with the denial of asylum to former party member Douglas Egharevba.
This development has sparked debate over political affiliations and international asylum laws.
On June 17, 2025, Justice Phuong Ngo delivered a judgment, dismissing Egharevba’s application for judicial review after the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) determined that his affiliations with both political parties made him inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
The ruling found Egharevba’s long-standing connections with the APC and PDP to be central to his asylum denial, with Canadian immigration authorities citing intelligence reports linking both parties to violent political activity.
Egharevba’s Political History Scrutinised
Court records revealed that Egharevba was a member of the PDP from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC, where he remained until 2017. He immigrated to Canada in September 2017 and disclosed his political past to Canadian authorities.
The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness argued that both the APC and PDP had been involved in political violence, subversion of democracy, and electoral bloodshed in Nigeria, particularly in the early 2000s.
Focus On PDP’s Role in 2003 Elections
The court’s decision heavily referenced the PDP’s actions during the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls.
According to evidence, the party allegedly engaged in ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and even the killing of opposition supporters.
The IAD found that the PDP leadership, benefiting from this violence, did nothing to prevent it. This conduct was deemed to meet Canada’s legal definition of subversion, falling under paragraph 34(1)(b.1) of the IRPA, which deals with activities aimed at undermining the democratic process.
Legal Precedents and International Impact
Naijaonpoint reports that Justice Ngo affirmed that membership in any organisation associated with terrorism or subversion is enough to trigger inadmissibility under paragraph 34(1)(f) of the IRPA.
Egharevba’s claims that political violence was widespread among all Nigerian parties were rejected, with the court stating that such violence by the PDP was particularly egregious.
The ruling further clarified that while Nigerian elections may have flaws, they still constitute a democratic process under Canadian law, and any actions that undermine them qualify as subversion.
Egharevba’s Asylum Denied, Deportation Looms
As a result of the ruling, Egharevba’s asylum claim has effectively been rejected. Deportation proceedings are expected to follow, marking the end of his quest for asylum in Canada.
This judgment has raised questions about the international implications of political affiliation and violence in countries like Nigeria and its impact on asylum claims worldwide, Naijaonpoint reports.
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