The Nigerian federal government has rejected the formation of a shadow government by political economist and activist, Professor Pat Utomi. The initiative, launched under the “Big Tent Coalition,” aims to serve as an alternative voice to current federal leadership, offering policy critiques and proposals.
According to Legit.ng, the virtual inauguration of the group took place on Monday, drawing members from various opposition parties who claim the federal administration has failed in key governance areas.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the move as unlawful and inconsistent with Nigeria’s governance structure. Nigeria operates a presidential system, not a parliamentary one where shadow governments are traditionally recognized.
“At a time when our nation is set to celebrate 26 unbroken years of presidential democracy, the idea of a so-called ‘shadow government’ is an aberration,” Idris stated.
Utomi, on his part, criticized the current administration for worsening poverty, rising insecurity, and contributing to the exit of multinational companies. He says the shadow government will serve as a platform to propose alternatives that could lead to better governance outcomes.
In a related development, similar efforts have emerged in Kano State, where a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) proposed a shadow structure to monitor the NNPP-led state government.
While the federal government insists opposition activity should remain within established institutions like the National Assembly, Utomi and his coalition argue that additional oversight is necessary to address what they describe as national policy failures.
Article updated 17 hours ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
