FG condemns Canadian court ruling branding PDP, APC as terrorist groups

Nigeria’s federal government has rejected a Canadian federal court decision that designated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) as terrorist organisations, describing the ruling as “false, baseless, and unacceptable.”

In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the court’s judgement was “erroneous” and amounted to “an unacceptable interference” in Nigeria’s internal affairs and democratic processes.

The ruling stemmed from the case of Douglas Egharevba, a Nigerian who arrived in Canada in September 2017 and applied for refugee status. His request was denied in 2019 over alleged membership in the PDP, with Canadian immigration authorities claiming the party engaged in subversion against democratic institutions and acts of terrorism. Egharevba’s legal challenge failed in June, when a judge upheld his inadmissibility.

Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa faulted the decision for casting a blanket accusation over two political parties that have produced democratically elected leaders, instead of addressing the conduct of specific individuals.

“The broader implication is that every member of the PDP and APC could be viewed as a potential terrorist — and that is completely false,” the statement said. “Our political parties operate within the law and are vital to our democracy. Associating them with terrorism without credible evidence is a serious misrepresentation that could provoke needless tension.”

The federal government called on Canadian authorities to retract the designation and avoid lending legitimacy to politically motivated claims. It also urged Nigerians not to make unfounded allegations against their country in pursuit of asylum or other benefits abroad.