Professor Pat Utomi Responds Boldly to DSS Legal Action Over Shadow Government Formation

 

In a dramatic and defiant response to the recent legal challenge brought against him by Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), renowned economist and political activist Professor Pat Utomi has stood firm. This development follows Utomi’s controversial unveiling of a shadow government, a political move that has stirred both national debate and government scrutiny.

Earlier this month, Professor Utomi made headlines when he introduced the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government, a unique coalition composed of members drawn from various opposition political parties. The group’s formation is intended to act as an alternative governance voice to the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu. According to Utomi, the shadow government is not just a symbolic gesture but a proactive body committed to monitoring government policies, exposing failures, and offering constructive reforms across a range of critical sectors such as the economy, education, healthcare, law enforcement, infrastructure development, and constitutional matters.

This bold initiative, however, quickly attracted the attention of the DSS, who viewed the formation of this shadow government as a direct challenge to the established authority. The security agency promptly filed a lawsuit against Utomi, accusing him of unlawfully attempting to usurp executive powers and destabilize the nation’s fragile political landscape. This legal move has since sparked widespread discussion about the limits of political dissent and democratic expression in Nigeria.

Responding to the charges, Professor Utomi took to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday to dismiss the accusations leveled against him. His post was both a reaffirmation of his commitment to democratic ideals and a show of gratitude for the wave of support he has received from Nigerians across the country. Remarkably, Utomi also revealed that a group of supporters is mobilizing no fewer than 500 lawyers to defend him against the DSS’s claims.

In his own words, Utomi wrote:

“I am heartened by messages of solidarity from across Nigeria on this shadowy business of chasing shadows of shadow cabinets. It’s energizing that some want to put together 500 lawyers to defend me against the DSS.”

This statement not only highlights the depth of support for Utomi’s cause but also underscores a growing discontent among Nigerians with the current political system. The imagery of “chasing shadows” serves as a metaphor for what Utomi sees as the government’s overreaction to legitimate political dissent.

Utomi also took the opportunity to critique what he perceives as a misplaced set of national priorities—one that values power and wealth above all else, including the well-being of future generations. His words resonate with moral urgency and a call for conscience-driven action:

“To worship money and power at the expense of the future all our children will live in, with no care for peace and progress, is condemnable by all with a decent conscience. They have a moral obligation to push back on such darkness.”

In this powerful condemnation, Utomi is calling on Nigerians to reject a culture that sacrifices long-term national prosperity and peace for short-term personal gain. He frames this moral crisis as a “darkness” that must be resisted.

Further, Utomi criticized what he views as the selective and inconsistent enforcement of Nigeria’s constitution, particularly with respect to politicians who switch political parties after being elected—actions that often go unpunished. This selective application of the law, according to him, undermines the very foundations of democratic governance.

He challenged the DSS directly:

“If DSS enjoys going to court, it should prosecute such violations of the constitution.”

Utomi’s challenge to the DSS is a call for fairness and consistency in applying legal standards, highlighting perceived political bias in Nigeria’s law enforcement.

Drawing on his own extensive history of activism, Utomi recalled a pivotal moment during the oppressive regime of General Sani Abacha. He referenced a pro-democracy conference he chaired in Ikeja, Lagos, which was organized by the Catholic Secretariat at a time when Father Matthew Kukah was a prominent figure. During that conference, a haunting question was posed:

“Is this how democracy dies in Nigeria?”

Utomi’s answer was a stark and sobering one:

“The answer is yes. This is how democracy died in Nigeria. Where citizens cannot organize themselves to ask questions of their agents.”

This reflection not only connects past struggles for democracy to present challenges but also serves as a warning about the consequences of political repression and civic disengagement.

Looking ahead, Utomi disclosed his intention to return to Nigeria on June 12 — a date symbolic of Nigeria’s democratic journey and struggle for electoral justice. He also revealed plans to visit the home of the late MKO Abiola, a revered figure in Nigeria’s democracy movement. Utomi made it clear that he is ready to face whatever consequences may come, including arrest or even death, standing firm in his convictions.

With solemnity and resolve, he stated:

“My hands are primed for handcuffs. And if the Aquino treatment from Marcos — a bullet at the airport — is preferred, I submit willingly, like a lamb led to slaughter. Death is no big deal. Four of my friends are in the morgue.”

This reference to Benigno Aquino Jr., a Filipino opposition leader assassinated in 1983, underscores Utomi’s willingness to sacrifice his life for democratic principles, placing his struggle in a global context of freedom fighters.

Utomi also directly addressed President Tinubu, reminding him that like all men, he too will face mortality. He contrasted his own activism under the threat of assassination with Tinubu’s current political standing:

“Tinubu may have been in London when I faced assassins under Abacha and was the supplier of my reports to Chief Enahoro and NADECO abroad — but we all ultimately go the way of man.”

By invoking history and mortality, Utomi underscores the inevitability of justice and the transient nature of political power.

Aligning himself with some of history’s most iconic figures in the fight for justice and human rights, Utomi invoked the spirits of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and the Catholic saint Thomas More. He pledged to carry forward their legacy with unwavering dedication to justice and accountability:

“To the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and the holy watch of St. Thomas More, I raise the meaning of being — for what is left of my time on this stage.”

Finally, quoting the famous astrophysicist Carl Sagan, Utomi closed with a stirring, poetic call for freedom — a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of standing firm in the face of oppression:

“I remember the showman of science, Carl Sagan, as the NASA orbiter turned its camera to Earth for the final time — a speck of dust, home to tyrants and also to all those we have loved. I am emboldened to chant: Freedom now. If we die, we die.”