The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned a Canadian court ruling that declared Nigeria’s two major political parties—the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—as terrorist organizations. The party described the decision as “misinformed, biased, and lacking evidence,” urging that it be dismissed outright.
Olufemi Soneye, former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, also criticized the verdict, calling it a “political earthquake with consequences that could reverberate far beyond Canada’s borders.” He warned that “if democratic nations don’t push back on this kind of overreach, they may one day find their own politics on trial in a foreign court.”
The Federal Court of Canada upheld a ruling that classified both parties as terrorist organizations while denying asylum to Douglas Egharevba, a former member, due to his decade-long affiliation with the PDP and APC. Justice Phuong Ngo delivered the judgment on June 17, 2025, dismissing Egharevba’s judicial review after the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) found him inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
Court documents revealed that the Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness argued that the APC and PDP were involved in political violence, democratic subversion, and electoral bloodshed in Nigeria. Egharevba had been a PDP member from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC until 2017, when he moved to Canada and disclosed his political affiliations. The IAD cited the PDP’s role in the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls, alleging ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and killings of opposition supporters.
PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor told Vanguard in Abuja, “Nigeria and Canada are both democracies, and while freedom of speech is respected, such unguarded statements are irresponsible. There is no evidence to show that either the PDP or even the malfunctioning APC is a terrorist organization. If individuals within the APC government have ties to terrorism—as when the last Boko Haram leader was reportedly caught in the residence of a prominent government member—that would be a valid concern. But labeling an entire political party as a terrorist organization is wrong.” He urged Canadian authorities to focus on specific allegations against individuals rather than entire parties.
Soneye further highlighted the democratic implications, stating, “For Nigerians abroad, especially those with party membership histories, this ruling signals increased scrutiny, denied visas, and rejected asylum claims—not only in Canada but potentially in other Western democracies. More concerning is the impact on democracy itself. Labeling established political parties as terrorist organizations undermines their legitimacy and blurs the crucial line between dissent and extremism. Such labels can be used domestically and internationally to silence opposition, suppress political participation, and erode civil liberties.”
