Apparently rattled by his formation of a “Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government,” the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has labelled Professor Pat Utomi an “intellectual drama king of sorts.”
The party says the formation of the coalition stands in direct contradiction and refutal of the very justification Utomi advanced for the latest of his several “big bang” things that have never materialised.
Recall that human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi was chosen to lead the Ombudsman and Good Governance portfolio among dozens of professionals to serve as an alternative policy think tank and watchdog for the present administration.
Others in the policy delivery unit include Oghene Momoh, Cheta Nwanze, Daniel Ikuonobe, Halima Ahmed, David Okonkwo, and Obi Ajuga.
The shadow government representatives include Dr. Adefolusade Adebayo, Dr. Peter Agadah, Dr. Sadiq Gombe, Chibuzor Nwachukwu, Salvation Alibor, Bilkisu Magoro, Dr. Victor Tubo, Charles Odibo, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Eunice Atuejide, Gbenga Ajayi, Dr. Mani Ahmad, Peter Oyewole, and Dr. Omano Edigheji.
Others are Sidi Ali, Ibrahim Abdukarim, Adenike Oriola, Promise Adewusi, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, Ambrose Obimma, Rwang Pam, Dr. Kingsley Anedo, Prof. Auwal Aliyu, Dr. Ghazali Ado, Nana Kazaure, Aisha Yusuf, Dr. Charles Gilbert, and Olujimi Akiboh.
During the launch last Monday, Utomi said the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government was created in response to worsening economic and security conditions under President Bola Tinubu’s government.
The group is expected to meet weekly to review public policies, offer alternatives, and push for reforms in key areas such as the economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure, law and order, and constitutional restructuring.
Utomi’s words: “This shadow team must also address issues of ethics, transparency, and integrity, which continue to challenge this government at every turn.
“Today, I bring to this pioneer body the desperate cries of a people troubled by how their reality seems bound for serfdom. I challenge you to awaken these people who wrongly believe that everything is fine as long as they can manage a share of what little still trickles down from crude oil sales.
“Making propaganda of most leaders being in agreement on removing the petroleum subsidy was to cover up policy errors of how to remove it without further structural damage to the economy.
“Nothing is more urgent than tackling the rising poverty across the country. Multinationals are shutting down, and millions are unemployed. Just two recent company exits illustrate how poorly thought-out policies have tanked the economy.
“The resort to propaganda as a tool of governing, by the party in power, makes rational discussion of the decisions of the APC government difficult, moving us more towards fascist conditions,” he said.
“Policing for me is a local function. We will travel further if we get the communities to have their own armed and well-trained police forces, which will be layered State police and the Federal National Guard.
“So much seems rooted in politics and positioning for elections that service to the people seems to be a forgotten proposition. This shadow team must emphasise returning to the people and enabling their pursuit of happiness. That is the purpose of government.”
“Don’t worry if they steal your ideas and use them—the gain is for Nigeria.
“All effort to showcase integrity and transparency as value must be made.”
In its reaction, the APC, through its spokesman, Mr. Felix Morka noted that Utomi has always been a poster child of freedom of thought, speech, conscience, association, and even freedom of intellectual aggression.
“Utomi has enjoyed and continues to enjoy his fullest constitutional right to think, say and act as he chooses. He continues to enjoy democratic choice freely, unconstrained and unrestrained. He has gained global recognition as a serial promoter of “mega parties”, mega “coalitions” and “mega tents”, hindered only by the unrealism of his contraptions,” Morka said.
He stated further: “The suggestion that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is suppressing opposing views is simply preposterous. Utomi’s unilateral declaration of a “shadow government”, in a presidential democracy, is, in and of itself, an exercise of democratic freedom and free speech, in the extreme.
“It is deeply disturbing and desperately dramatic for Utomi to liken Nigeria’s democratic experience to “fascist conditions” in Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany. That approximation is reckless, irresponsible and insensitive and should be beneath a man of Utomi’s standing but has clearly cast reason and rationality aside for sensational and virulent discourse.
“The announcement of a “shadow government” by Utomi is stellar evidence of Nigeria’s flourishing democracy, a categorical demonstration of impunity of opposition actors, and the high tolerance of dissent by the Tinubu administration.
“Utomi’s partisan disorientation – his failed bid for the Delta State APC gubernatorial ticket in 2019, an unfulfilled stalwart of Labour Party (LP) in Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, and his several dead on arrival “third force” mega opposition gamble – has clearly taken a huge toll on the erudite Professor’s political judgment.
“That Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of LP both campaigned, like President Tinubu, to end the system of fuel subsidy is not propaganda as Utomi alleges in his revisionist quibbles. Rather, it is a statement of fact that both Atiku and Obi campaigned on that policy approach. Even as a political economist, Utomi continues to fumble through conversations on the question of an alternative approach to both policies. Simply exploiting and dramatizing what are inevitable initial difficulties associated with the policies Nigerians have had to endure for sustainable growth and prosperity is not genius, it smacks of crass political opportunism and desperation.
“No democratic norm obligates a ruling party to build and teach opposition parties how to govern themselves. Just as there is no democratic tenet that prohibits a ruling party from accepting citizens that choose to join its membership. APC bears no responsibility to administer the internal affairs of opposition parties and takes no responsibility for the dysfunction and seeming disintegration of the parties.
“It is mind boggling how Utomi and his fellow opposition figures who boast of superior knowledge of solutions to Nigeria’s complex problems and challenges have been unable to sensibly and competently manage the internal affairs of their parties but continue to spew vile accusations against the APC without any shame. And they want Nigerians to put their trust and destiny in their inept hands. Our people are far more discerning than that.
“The wave of defections into the APC, while indicative of the rudderless leadership of opposition parties, is a clear endorsement of the visionary and inclusive leadership of President Bola Tinubu, and the massive transformation that is now underway in our country.
“These defectors are citizens who have decided to be direct participants in the unfolding historic repositioning of our nation, who have elevated patriotism over partisanship and ready to place their hand on deck with this bold President of progress to steer the ship of the Nigerian state away from the brink to stable safer and prosperous grounds.”
