Professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has insisted that the recent federal high court ruling restraining him from forming a shadow cabinet will not stop him from speaking out or associating with fellow citizens.
On Monday, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the concept of a shadow government is unconstitutional and alien to Nigeria’s presidential system.
Reacting in an interview on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm, Utomi said his initiative was not aimed at seeking constitutional recognition.
“I hope the lawyers will have something to say. We were not looking to find a place in the constitution of Nigeria,” he said.
“This is unprecedented. Whatever it is, we’re not looking for a place in the constitution,” he added.
Asked if the judgment had ended his plans or forced him to consider alternatives, Utomi maintained his civic rights remain intact.
“As a citizen, I do expect that I will continue to be able to express myself. I also have the freedom to meet with other citizens to jointly express ourselves,” he said.
Utomi had first announced the shadow government plan on May 5 under his Big Tent Coalition, describing it as a credible opposition to the Bola Tinubu administration. He unveiled members of the cabinet in July, saying it would “provide policy alternatives to the federal government.”
But the Department of State Services (DSS) challenged the initiative in court, filing suit FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, and warning it could trigger unrest similar to the #EndSARS protests.
The federal government also condemned the plan, with Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, stressing that “Nigeria is not a parliamentary system where such a system is practised, and there is no provision for such in our statute books. While opposition politics is a central feature of democracy, it must be practised at all times within the bounds of propriety.”
In his defence, Utomi argued that the DSS was seeking to “criminalise constitutionally protected rights” to free expression, association, and political participation.
However, Justice Omotosho held that Nigeria’s constitution makes no provision for any “parallel or alternative government” outside the one it establishes.
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