APC Slams Canadian Court for Labeling It, PDP as Terrorist Organizations

On Thursday, August 14, 2025, the All Progressives Congress (APC) sharply criticized Justice Phuong Ngo of Canada’s Federal Court, branding him an “ignoramus” for upholding a ruling that classified the APC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as terrorist organizations, as reported by Vanguard and Peoples Gazette. The June 17, 2025, judgment denied asylum to Douglas Egharevba, a former PDP (1999–2007) and APC (2007–2017) member, under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), citing the parties’ alleged roles in political violence, voter intimidation, and electoral bloodshed during Nigeria’s 2003 state and 2004 local elections. APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru rejected the ruling, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction over Nigerian political parties and that the decision stemmed from a “jaundiced perspective” tied to Egharevba’s asylum bid.

Basiru defended the APC as a “credible democratic political organization,” dismissing the judgment as an unpatriotic attempt by “desperate Nigerians” to tarnish the country’s image, per ThisDay. The ruling, based on intelligence from Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, has drawn condemnation from both parties, with the PDP labeling it “misinformed and biased” (Daily Post). The decision could impact 12,000 Nigerian asylum seekers in Canada (IRCC, 2024) and strain diplomatic ties, with Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry planning a response. X posts from @APCWatchNG (August 14, 2025) echoed Basiru’s stance, while @Naija_Activist criticized the APC’s response as defensive, urging accountability for past electoral violence. The controversy highlights ongoing concerns about Nigeria’s political stability as the 2027 elections approach.