The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned a Canadian court’s decision labeling Nigeria’s two major political parties—the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—as terrorist organizations.
The party described the claim as ‘misinformed, biased, and lacking evidence,’ urging that it be dismissed outright.
Also, former Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mr Olufemi Soneye decried the dangerous precedent the court verdict sets.
He said it was a political earthquake with consequences that could reverberate far beyond Canada’s borders, warning 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.”
A Federal Court of Canada upheld a ruling that classified Nigeria’s APC and PDP, as terrorist organisations, while denying asylum to a former member, Douglas Egharevba, over his decade-long affiliation with both parties.
In a judgment delivered on June 17, 2025, 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.
According to the Peoples Gazette, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness had argued that the APC and PDP were implicated in political violence, subversion of democracy and electoral bloodshed in Nigeria.
Court records showed that Egharevba was a PDP member from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC, where he remained until 2017. He moved to Canada in September 2017 and disclosed his political history.
The IAD based its decision largely on the PDP’s conduct during the 2003 state elections and 2004 local government polls, when the party allegedly engaged in ballot stuffing, voter intimidation and killing of opposition supporters.
PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, speaking to Vanguard in Abuja, said: “Nigeria and Canada are both democracies. And I’m sure those who make such statements enjoy their right to freedom of speech. But again, when having freedom of speech, one should be circumspect about unguarded and unnecessary statements.
“There’s nothing to show, there’s nothing on text to show that even the malfunctioning APC is a terrorist organisation or the PDP, which is a credible institution.
“If they wanted to say that some individuals in the government, particularly the APC government, have traces to terrorism, like we all are aware where the last Boko Haram leader was caught in one of the prominent members of this government’s apartment house, they will have a case. And I would say, yes, those individuals have ties to terrorists and terrorist organisations. But to say an entire political party is a terrorist organisation is wrong,” he said, and urged Canadian authorities to focus on specific allegations against individuals rather than making sweeping accusations.”
Soneye in a statement said: “For Nigerians abroad, especially those who have ever held a party membership card, it signals heightened scrutiny, denied visas, and rejected asylum claims not only in Canada but potentially in other Western democracies that may follow suit.
“Even more alarming is what this means for democracy. Labeling established political parties as terrorist organisations undermines their legitimacy at home and abroad.”
It blurs the vital line between dissent and danger, between governance and extremism. Once such a label is applied, it can be wielded, domestically or internationally as a tool to silence opposition, suppress political participation, and erode civil liberties.”
