In a ruling that delivers a scathing indictment of Nigeria’s political climate, the Federal Court of Canada has upheld a decision labelling the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as organisations engaged in terrorism and the subversion of democratic institutions.
The judgment, delivered on June 17, 2025, by Justice Phuong T.V. Ngo, rejected the asylum application of Douglas Egharevba, a Nigerian politician and admitted PDP member, ruling that his party affiliation alone was enough to make him inadmissible to Canada under its immigration laws.
The court endorsed the Immigration Appeal Division’s findings that both parties have a long history of political violence, voter intimidation, ballot box snatching, and even murder to secure power. The PDP was found to have committed the majority of these acts, particularly during its 16 years in power.
Quoting the IAD’s report, Justice Ngo stated:
“The conduct of individuals who are members of the PDP… is too widespread and persistent over too great a period of time to dissociate the leadership of the party from their actions.”
Egharevba admitted to being a PDP member but claimed he had never participated in violence. The court ruled that personal involvement was irrelevant under Canadian law—membership in an organisation tied to terrorism or democratic subversion is sufficient grounds for exclusion.
The politician’s defence that political violence is simply “part of the rules of the game” in Nigeria was also rejected. Justice Ngo described this argument as circular and flawed, affirming that Nigerian elections, despite irregularities, remain democratic processes under Canadian legal standards.
By dismissing the application and declining to certify a legal question, the ruling effectively ends Egharevba’s asylum bid.
This decision stands as one of the strongest judicial declarations by a foreign court linking Nigeria’s dominant political parties to systemic violence and undermining democracy while rejecting the notion that such practices should be considered normal political behavior.