A Nigerian lawyer, Victor Giwa, has clarified that a recent Canadian court judgment describing the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “like a terrorist organisation” aligns with Canada’s criminal law, rather than officially labeling the parties as terrorist organisations.
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Giwa, speaking on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Monday, explained that the Canadian Federal Court, in June, made the observation in the context of a case involving Nigerian national Douglas Egharevba, who applied for inland refugee status in Canada in 2017.
“The Canadian court said the PDP is like a terrorist organisation, not that it has been declared one. Under the Canadian Criminal Code, Section 83, acts intended to cause death, serious bodily harm, or intimidation can constitute terrorism,” Giwa said.
He added that the court’s decision was based on allegations that the political parties were involved in actions such as subverting democratic structures, intimidating or harming political opponents, and snatching ballot papers. “So, looking at the Canadian criminal law, those actions amount to terrorism,” he said, noting that the judgment cannot be appealed by the parties because it follows Canada’s legal framework.
Giwa also highlighted the broader implications of electoral violence in Nigeria. “This judgment shows that as members of political parties, Nigerians should be aware that their activities in pursuit of political power are under global scrutiny,” he said.
The development drew immediate reaction from the Nigerian government. On August 16, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Canadian authorities to retract what it described as an “erroneous” designation of Nigerian political parties.
In a statement, the ministry said the ruling was “reckless” and “constitutes an unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and democratic processes,” stressing that it unfairly implicated the entire membership of the parties, which have produced three democratically elected presidents.
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