The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly rejected a Canadian court ruling that classified Nigeria’s two main political parties—the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—as terrorist organizations, calling the decision “misinformed, biased, and lacking evidence.”
PDP’s Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, emphasized that Nigeria and Canada are both democracies and stressed the importance of responsible speech. He argued there is no legal basis or credible evidence to support sweeping claims that entire political parties are terrorist groups. He urged the Canadian authorities to narrow such implications to individuals, where credible links exist.
Olufemi Soneye, former Chief Corporate Communications Officer at NNPC Ltd., also criticized the ruling, warning that it sets a “dangerous precedent.” According to him, if democratic nations do not challenge such overreach, political actors may one day find their politics being judged in foreign courts.
The ruling in question relates to the denial of asylum for former party member Douglas Egharevba, who was deemed inadmissible under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) due to his affiliation with both parties between 1999 and 2017. The judgment cited instances of alleged election violence, ballot manipulation, and voter intimidation linked to the parties during the early 2000s.
