APC reacts to Canadian court’s ruling tagging party as terrorist organisation

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly rejected a ruling by a Federal Court in Canada that labeled both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as terrorist organizations.

Justice Phuong Ngo, in a June 17 judgment, reportedly made the declaration while refusing asylum to Douglas Egharevba, citing his long-term affiliation with the two major Nigerian political parties.

The judge dismissed Egharevba’s bid for judicial review after Canada’s Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) found him inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). The Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness had argued that both parties were linked to political violence, electoral bloodshed, and subversion of democracy.

Court records revealed that Egharevba was a PDP member from 1999 to 2007 before joining the APC, where he remained until 2017. He relocated to Canada in September 2017 and disclosed his political background.

Reacting in Abuja on Thursday, APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Bashiru dismissed the ruling outright, insisting that the party is a legitimate democratic organization.“The APC is a credible democratic political organization and does not seek legitimacy from a foreign bench and under a law that has no extra territorial application,” he said.

Bashiru described the presiding judge as “an ignoramus,” stressing that APC was not a party to the case. He argued that “the court has no jurisdiction to determine the status of a Nigerian recognized political party not to talk of declaring it as a terrorist organization.”

“The so-called judgment was obviously delivered from a jaundiced perspective and within the narrow confines of determining eligibility for asylum by an applicant,” he added.“It is unfortunate that some desperate and unpatriotic Nigerians will allow the name of the country to be brought to unpalatable commentary by racist judges on account of self contrived application for asylum.”

Reports indicate that Canadian authorities flagged Egharevba’s affiliations using intelligence reports that linked both parties to electoral violence and politically motivated killings. The IAD cited PDP’s alleged conduct during the 2003 state elections and 2004 local polls, when ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and killings of opposition supporters were reported.

The tribunal said party leaders benefited from the violence and failed to intervene, which met Canada’s legal standard for subversion under paragraph 34(1)(b.1) of the IRPA. Justice Ngo further affirmed that mere membership in an organization associated with terrorism or democratic subversion is enough to render an individual inadmissible under paragraph 34(1)(f), regardless of personal involvement.