APC Rejects Canadian Court Ruling Labelling Party, PDP as Terrorist Groups; Asylum Denied to Nigerian Over Political Ties
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected a Canadian Federal Court ruling that classified the party, alongside the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as a terrorist organisation.
On June 17, 2025, Justice Phuong Ngo denied asylum to Nigerian national Douglas Egharevba, citing his decade-long involvement with both political parties. The court upheld a previous decision by Canada’s Immigration Appeal Division (IAD), which found Egharevba inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
The Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness argued that both APC and PDP were linked to political violence, electoral bloodshed, and democratic subversion in Nigeria. Court documents show Egharevba belonged to the PDP from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC, where he stayed until 2017. He moved to Canada later that year and disclosed his political affiliations during immigration proceedings.
In Abuja, APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Bashiru condemned the ruling, calling it irrelevant to Nigeria’s political realities and lacking jurisdiction. He argued that the judgment was based on a narrow interpretation of asylum law, insisting APC is a legitimate democratic body that does not require validation from foreign courts. Bashiru described the presiding judge as “ignorant” and criticised Nigerians who, in his view, damage the country’s image abroad in pursuit of personal asylum claims.
According to reports, Canadian immigration officials flagged Egharevba’s political history after intelligence assessments linked both APC and PDP to election-related violence and killings. The IAD cited the PDP’s role in the 2003 state and 2004 local government elections, where allegations of ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and opposition attacks were widespread.
The tribunal ruled that PDP leadership benefited from the violence without intervening, meeting Canada’s legal definition of democratic subversion under paragraph 34(1)(b.1) of the IRPA. Justice Ngo upheld the finding, noting that under paragraph 34(1)(f), membership in an organisation connected to terrorism or democratic subversion is enough to bar entry to Canada, even without evidence of direct participation.
