Canadian court labels PDP, APC ‘terrorist organisations’, denies ex-chieftain asylum
A Canadian court recently upheld a ruling that classified two leading political parties in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as terrorist organizations, while denying asylum to a former member, Douglas Egharevba, over his affiliation with both parties.
Canadian immigration authorities were said to have flagged his affiliations, citing intelligence reports linking both parties to electoral violence and politically motivated killings.
Justice Phuong Ngo dismissed Egharevba’s application for judicial review after the Immigration Appeal Division, IAD, found him inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, IRPA, as court records showed that Egharevba was a PDP member from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC, where he remained until 2017, and thereafter moved to Canada in September 2017.
Egharevba who argued that he never participated in the violence and manipulation that marred the elections, said he had never personally engaged in terrorism or subversion.
The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness however argued that the APC and PDP were complicit in political violence and democracy subversion.
Justice Ngo in his judgement on June 17, 2025, disagreed with Egharevba’s submission.
“The Applicant most likely downplayed his knowledge and the seriousness of political violence committed by the parties in which he was involved,” the judgement read.
“The IAD revised the ID’s decision and found that the evidence was established on reasonable grounds to believe that, pursuant to paragraph 34(1)(f) of the IRPA, the Applicant was a member of an organization that engages, has engaged, or will engage in acts of subversion against a democratic government, institution or process as they are understood in Canada.
“The Applicant is a citizen of Nigeria. In September 2017, the Applicant entered Canada and initiated an inland refugee claim.
“The Applicant submitted a Background Declaration Form stating that he was a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of Nigeria from December 1999 until December 2007, and a member of the All Progressives Congress [APC] party of Nigeria from December 2007 until May 2017.
“As a result of this information, he was referred to a Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer to determine whether he was admissible to Canada.
“In September 2018, the Applicant confirmed his membership in the PDP and APC in an interview with the CBSA officer,” the judgement added.
Delivering his verdict, the judge said: “the PDP were perpetrators of political violence, intimidation, and subversion and were protected as the PDP was the governing party from 1999 onwards”.
“The PDP conducted unlawful acts such as ballot-stuffing, ballot box snatching, intimidation, violence, and murder of opposition supporters and candidates in the Elections,” prompting the court to dismiss Egharevba’s application for judicial review.
The verdict was largely based on PDP’s conduct during the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls.
