In a statement issued on Friday, August 15, 2025, by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, the government described the decision as baseless, reckless, and an unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has strongly condemned a ruling by a Canadian Federal Court which designated certain Nigerian political parties as “terrorist organisations.”
In a statement issued on Friday, August 15, 2025, by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, the government described the decision as baseless, reckless, and an unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria express deep concerns over the recent ruling by a Canadian Federal court that erroneously designates certain political parties in Nigeria as “terrorist organisations.'”
The statement explained that the ruling was linked to a case involving a Nigerian citizen, Mr. Douglas Egharevba, who arrived in Canada in September 2017 and applied for inland refugee status under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of Canada.
“This baseless classification is not only reckless but also constitutes an unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs and democratic processes.”
According to the government, the Canadian court went beyond individual allegations and made sweeping accusations against an entire political party that has produced three democratically elected presidents.
“The Court made a sweeping accusation against the entire membership of a political party that has produced three democratically elected presidents, instead of focusing on individuals found wanting. The larger ramification of the decision is that every member of the mentioned political parties is a potential terrorist, and that is completely false and unacceptable.”
The government maintained that Nigeria’s political system operates under a robust legal and constitutional framework, with parties functioning lawfully within a vibrant democracy.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation with a robust legal and constitutional framework governing political activities. Our political parties operate within the ambit of the law and are integral to the country’s vibrant democracy. To associate legitimate political entities with terrorism without credible evidence is a grave misrepresentation that undermines Nigeria’s democratic institutions and could incite unnecessary tension.”
Calling for the immediate withdrawal of the ruling, the statement urged Canada to engage Nigerian authorities through diplomatic channels to address the matter.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, therefore, calls on the Canadian authorities to immediately retract this erroneous designation and refrain from actions that could be misconstrued as endorsing politically motivated narratives against Nigeria. Diplomatic channels remain open for constructive dialogue, and we urge the Government of Canada to engage with the relevant Nigerian institutions to rectify this error.”
The government reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to combating terrorism and warned against the misuse of asylum claims to malign the country.
“Nigeria remains committed to the global fight against terrorism and has made significant strides in countering extremist groups within its borders; therefore, called on the international community to disregard this misguided ruling and reaffirm its confidence in Nigeria’s democratic governance and rule of law.”
“The government further urges Nigerian nationals to refrain from making unfounded allegations against Nigeria under the pretext of seeking asylum or favours from foreign entities.”
SaharaReporters earlier reported that in a landmark decision that casts a damning spotlight on Nigeria’s political landscape, the Federal Court of Canada upheld a ruling declaring both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to be engaged in conduct amounting to terrorism and subversion of democratic institutions.
The judgment, delivered on June 17, 2025 by Justice Phuong T.V. Ngo, dismissed the asylum application of Douglas Egharevba, a Nigerian national and admitted PDP member, on the grounds that his party membership alone was sufficient to make him inadmissible to Canada under paragraph 34(1)(f) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).
The court endorsed the Immigration Appeal Division’s (IAD) detailed findings that both the PDP and APC have engaged in political violence, voter intimidation, ballot stuffing, and even murder to gain and maintain power, according to a court document obtained by Peoples Gazette.
The PDP and APC are Nigeria’s two dominant political parties.
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