The Federal Government of Nigeria has reacted strongly to a controversial ruling by a Canadian Federal Court which labelled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as terrorist organisations. The government described the judgment as “reckless, baseless, and an unacceptable interference” in Nigeria’s democratic processes.
The ruling was handed down on June 17, 2025, in a case involving Douglas Egharevba, a former member of both parties who had sought asylum in Canada. Justice Phuong Ngo dismissed his appeal and upheld a tribunal’s decision that classified the PDP and APC as terrorist bodies due to their alleged involvement in political violence.
Justice Ngo argued that “the conduct of individuals who are members of the PDP, including high-ranking officials, and those who committed political violence and intimidation on their behalf, is too widespread and persistent over a period of time to dissociate the leadership of the party from their actions.”
But Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, condemned the decision, stressing that it unfairly criminalised entire political groups rather than targeting individuals.
“The larger ramification of the decision is that every member of the mentioned political parties is a potential terrorist, and that is completely false and unacceptable,” Ebienfa stated.
The government urged Canada to rescind the ruling and cautioned against endorsing what it called “politically motivated narratives” about Nigeria’s internal affairs. It added that Nigeria’s democracy operates under a strong constitutional framework that does not permit terrorism-linked activities.
Meanwhile, the APC refuted reports suggesting it was declared a terrorist organisation. Its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the judgment did not contain any such declaration. “To be clear, the only reference to APC in the entire 16-page decision was in the introductory background,” he noted, dismissing claims as false.
On the other hand, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) welcomed the Canadian ruling. ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi argued that electoral malpractices and violence in Nigeria could be construed as acts of terrorism abroad. CUPP’s Peter Ameh added, “Our elections are like war… the vicious cycle of violence and thuggery is enough to be classified as acts of terror.”
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to combating terrorism while warning Nigerians against misrepresenting the country for asylum gains.
okay.ng reports that diplomatic channels between Abuja and Ottawa remain open, but Nigeria insists the judgment must be overturned to prevent future tensions.
