‘I’m getting fed up’ — Utomi says he may leave Nigeria over ‘attempt’ to silence him

Pat Utomi, the professor of political economy, says he may leave Nigeria over alleged attempts to silence him.

BACKGROUND

On May 5, Utomi announced the formation of a shadow government.

The initiative, launched virtually under the banner of the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government, aims to serve as a “credible opposition” to the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The Department of State Services (DSS) filed a suit against Utomi at the federal high court in Abuja, praying the court to declare that the shadow government as “constitutional”.

The secret police also urged the court to restrain Utomi from further making public comments or staging rallies to promote his shadow cabinet.

In a separate application, the secret service through its counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, submitted to the court that it gathered, through monitoring and intelligence reports, that Utomi, who is out of the country and is due to return on June 6, plans to “stage road shows and rallies under the guise of freedom of speech and association in a bid to cause public discontent in furtherance of his establishment of the purported shadow government/shadow cabinet”.

In a supporting affidavit, the DSS added that Utomi’s intention is to stage road shows and rallies that are “capable of drawing a large number of Nigerians with intent that will cause huge disruption of peace, breakdown of public order, enable riots and violent protests just as the recent ‘End SARS’ protests in 2020″. 

The secret service told the court that if the alleged planned actions of the respondent are not stayed, the protests, riots and agitations that will ensue may lead to mayhem with a potential for anarchy, loss of lives and property.

‘I MAY LEAVE NIGERIA’

Speaking in an interview with The Punch on Wednesday, Utomi expressed frustration with the authorities’ actions, saying he may consider leaving the country over efforts to suppress his voice.

“I’m getting fed up with all of this. If they are ready to shut my voice, I am ready to go to Ghana or anywhere else and live peacefully,” he said.

“I will retire next year and leave them to do whatever they want to do. I’m looking for a better country for the next generation. But politicians make it look like dissenting comments.

“I want to inspire the next generation to be free and make progress. It is now up to them.

“It is up to the current generation to realise that there are people who don’t want their country to grow.”

The professor said Mike Ozekhome, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and other lawyers have filed a defence on his behalf in response to the DSS suit.