A Canadian Federal Court has upheld a ruling declaring Nigeria’s two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as terrorist organisations under Canadian law, while rejecting the asylum request of a former member, Douglas Egharevba.
The decision, delivered on June 17, 2025, followed findings by Canada’s Immigration Appeal Division that Egharevba’s decade-long membership in both parties rendered him inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Authorities argued that the APC and PDP were linked to political violence, electoral malpractice, and acts of intimidation that inflicted harm on Nigerians.
Egharevba joined the PDP at its formation in 1999 before defecting to the APC in 2007 and leaving in 2017.
He claimed he had no personal role in any wrongdoing, but the court ruled that the widespread and sustained acts of violence by party members could not be separated from the leadership.
Canadian immigration records show his political history was flagged after he arrived in 2017, with intelligence reports connecting both parties to killings and electoral misconduct.
The court focused on the PDP’s record during the 2003 and 2004 elections, when ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and the killing of opponents were reported.
It concluded that party leaders benefited from such acts without taking steps to prevent them, meeting Canada’s definition of subverting a democratic process.
The court also noted that under Canadian law, membership alone in an organisation linked to terrorism or subversion is enough to bar entry, even without proof of personal violence.
Egharevba’s claim that violence was common across Nigerian politics and that elections could not be seen as democratic under Canadian standards was rejected.
The court maintained that undermining even flawed elections amounts to subversion.
With the ruling in place, Egharevba’s asylum bid is now effectively over, and deportation proceedings are expected to follow.
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