Professor Pat Utomi has announced the formation of a shadow government to serve as a credible opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He described the initiative as “national emergency response.” It was launched virtually on Monday under the aegis of the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government.
According to Utomi, the shadow government membership cut across Nigeria’s opposition parties. Its task is to scrutinise government actions, identifying policy failures, and proposing alternative solutions in key areas including the economy, infrastructure, education, healthcare, constitutional reform, law and order.
Prof Utomi said, “The recent spate of defections to the All Progressives Congress provides further evidence that all is not well with democracy in Nigeria.
“The imperative is that if a genuine opposition does not courageously identify the performance failures of incumbents, offer options, and influence culture in a counter direction, it will be complicit in subverting the will of the people.”
The shadow government will meet weekly to analyse public policy and recommend possible solutions.
Prof Utomi emphasised, “This shadow team must also address issues of ethics, transparency, and integrity, which continue to challenge this government at every turn,” he said.
“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.”
He pointed out that the Tinubu led administration is using some politicians being in political agreement as basis for poor planning. He said, “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.”
In security situation of the country, Prof Utomi stated, “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 with state police and the Federal National Guard.”
Prof. Utomi highlighted that the shadow government is made up of number of professionals and public figures across the opposition. He said the shadow government will operate as a credible opposition and watchdog on government policies and offer better alternatives that effect.
