Economist and political activist, Professor Pat Utomi, has officially launched a shadow government he says will serve as a credible opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The initiative, introduced virtually on Monday under the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government, is framed as a national emergency response to what Utomi describes as worsening governance and rising public hardship.
The shadow government, according to Utomi, comprises professionals, technocrats, and politicians from various opposition platforms. Its mandate is to scrutinise government policies, highlight areas of failure, and present alternative strategies across critical sectors, including the economy, healthcare, education, law and order, and constitutional reform.
“This isn’t just a talking shop,” Utomi said during the launch. “It’s a moral and intellectual response to the cries of Nigerians worn down by poor policy choices and leadership failures.”
He lamented the recent wave of defections into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), calling it a troubling sign for Nigerian democracy. Utomi argued that the absence of strong, organised opposition is enabling bad governance.
“The moment opposition stops offering serious alternatives, it indirectly helps in undermining democracy,” he said.
The group plans to hold weekly meetings to examine policy issues and present actionable solutions. Utomi said integrity, transparency, and ethics—traits he claims are lacking in the current administration—will be core values guiding the group’s work.
Citing the exodus of multinational companies and a growing unemployment crisis, Utomi blamed poor economic planning and what he called “shock therapy” policies. He took particular aim at the fuel subsidy removal, accusing the government of masking its flawed rollout behind a broad political consensus.
“It wasn’t just about removing subsidies,” he explained. “The problem was the manner and timing. The removal was done without adequate structure and protections, and the economic consequences have been devastating.”
On security, Utomi called for decentralised policing through a tiered system involving local community forces, state police, and a federal guard. He argued that centralised control has proven ineffective and is driven more by vested interests than the need for effective policing.
“The real resistance to decentralisation comes from those benefiting from the current chaos,” he noted.
The shadow cabinet includes several prominent names drawn from various disciplines. Human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi will lead the Ombudsman and Good Governance desk. Other members include Cheta Nwanze, Halima Ahmed, Dr Peter Agadah, Oghene Momoh, Daniel Ikuonobe, and Obi Ajuga.
Also part of the team are Dr Adefolusade Adebayo, Dr Sadiq Gombe, Chibuzor Nwachukwu, Bilkisu Magoro, Salvation Alibor, Dr Victor Tubo, Charles Odibo, Dr Otive Igbuzor, Eunice Atuejide, Gbenga Ajayi, Dr Mani Ahmad, Peter Oyewole, and Dr Omano Edigheji.
Additional members include 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.
Utomi said the shadow government will also serve as a think tank and a platform to keep governance accountable through informed public engagement. He encouraged his team to study and expose questionable policies and contracts, including the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project.
The new government structure has, however, attracted criticism from the Federal Government. Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, dismissed the idea, calling it an “aberration” within Nigeria’s presidential system. He argued that the concept of a shadow government is not suited for a presidential democracy like Nigeria’s, where opposition parties already have the means to critique the government and propose policy changes through the legislature.
Idris further stated, “In Nigeria, we have a presidential system of government, and the idea of a shadow government is not part of our constitutional arrangement. Opposition parties can criticise the government, offer alternatives, and engage with the legislature, which is the appropriate forum for policy discussions and debates.”
Despite the backlash, Utomi remained resolute, saying, “If those in power borrow our ideas and actually use them to improve the country, we’ll consider that a win. This is about Nigeria—not egos.”
