Canadian Court Upholds APC, PDP Terrorist Classification

The Federal Court of Canada has upheld a ruling classifying Nigeria’s two main political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as terrorist organisations under its immigration law. The decision, delivered by Justice Phuong Ngo on June 17, 2025, denied asylum to Douglas Egharevba, a former member of both parties, over his decade-long affiliation.

Canadian immigration authorities linked the APC and PDP to political violence, subversion of democracy, and electoral killings, citing intelligence reports and past election records. Egharevba’s PDP membership from 1999 to 2007 and APC membership until 2017 were flagged as grounds for inadmissibility under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The court noted that during the 2003 state and 2004 local government elections, the PDP engaged in ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and killings of opposition supporters, with party leaders allegedly benefiting from and failing to stop the violence.

Justice Ngo ruled that membership in an organisation associated with terrorism or democratic subversion is enough to bar entry, even without proof of personal involvement. The decision effectively ends Egharevba’s asylum claim, paving the way for deportation.