On June 17th, 2025 Canadian Federal Court in Suit No. 2025 FC 1093 between Douglas Egbarevba vs The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness made some far reaching findings and pronouncement affecting Nigerians. You need to understand this judgment as it is likely to affect everyone in Nigeria. I will break it down here starting with the background.
Douglas is a Nigerian. Douglas travelled to Canada in September 2017 and applied to remain in the country as a refugee. In his application for the refugee status, he wrote that he was a Member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 1999 to 2007. He decamped to APC from 2007 to 2017. Based on this information, Canadian Immigration authorities decided that Douglas cannot be admitted to Canada or remain in Canada because PDP particularly was involved in acts of subversion of democratic government, process and institutions and were involved in violent acts of snatching ballot boxes, killing opposition party members and thus a terrorist organization as understood in Canada and under Canadian Law.
Douglas then challenged this decision to the Canadian Federal Court. The Canadian Federal Court found evidence based on records before it that PDP were:
1. Perpetrators of political violence, intimidation, and subversion and were protected since they were in power from 1999.
2. That PDP conducted unlawful acts like ballot box snatching, election violence, intimidation, and killing of opposition political candidates.
3. That PDP leadership had knowledge of the commission of these crimes by its members but did nothing to condemn, stop it or discipline members involved in it.
4. The use of political violence is long standing feature of the PDP since inception or time of formation.
Based on this established fact, the Canadian Court concluded that PDP is a terrorist organization as defined by Canadian Law. That Douglas who was a Member of PDP that is considered a terrorist organization cannot be allowed to stay in Canada or be granted refugee status. Although this finding was limited to PDP, his membership of APC which operates like PDP may have same effect if taken upon. What then are the implications?
1. Any Nigerian desirous of interfacing with Canadian Immigration authorities by either traveling to Canada or visiting Canada or doing any business with Canada must note that once he or she is a member of PDP or APC, the person will be treated as a terrorist. In other words, no visa for you.
2. If you have any connection with PDP or APC probably via your social media accounts, they can classify you as a terrorist. For instance, my friend Silas left for US a couple of days back. Before he was granted visa, he had to submit all his social media handles for scrutiny by the US Embassy. Thus, if Canadian authorities finds in connection between your social media and these political parties, you can be classified as a terrorist and denied visa or entry.
3. The other crucial implication especially for lawyers and Judges in Nigeria is that, in Canada crimes can be proved by purely documents or affidavit evidence. No eye witnesses were called to prove the political violence committed by PDP before this conclusion was reached. This contrast with Nigerian Lawyers and Judges who will argue that you need to call eye witnesses to establish a crime and that affidavit evidence cannot be used to prove the commission of a crime. Nigerian Legal System is far behind and we need lawyers and judges with global thoughts. Members of the legal profession who shield the commission of political violence with a wave of hand that there is no proof may be considered to be subverting democratic process and institutions and equally denied entry to Canada.
It is therefore important that you distance yourself from any acts of violence that is being condone by any organization you belong to. You will never know when your failure to dissociate your self may militate against you in this world that is now a global village. When PDP was committing these violence and Douglas kept quiet, he never knew that a day will come when his silence would count against him.
Better reject all the atrocities of your organization now and insist on what is right. You never can tell.
P. D. Pius Esq
Abuja, Nigeria