Pat Utomi Unveils Cabinet Members Of His Shadow Government, Back ADC Coalition

Political economist Pat Utomi has unveiled the cabinet members of his shadow government.

Pat Utomi also commended the formation of African Democratic Congress (ADC), stating that it will give Nigerians an alternative to political party politics.

Speaking in Abuja after a two-day retreat of ‘The Big Tent’, Utomi named Nana Kazaure (information), Riwang Pam (security), Nike Omola (women and gender development), and Peter Agada (infrastructure) as members.

He explained that the cabinet will not directly compete with the APC-led government, but will analyze and respond to government policies with expert insights and constructive critiques.

“The progress of any government is to ensure the welfare of the people, hence there must be an alternative views and reviews of government policies to enable the government move forward in the right direction,” ARISE TV quoted Utomi as saying.

Utomi criticized the current system where lawmakers often take on projects instead of focusing on their primary roles.

“Legislators will know that they were not elected to execute projects, they were elected to make laws for the good governance of the country. To do otherwise is to make them become slaves as they will go cap in hands begging the executives for projects to execute.

“With this kind of practice, the members of the legislature will not be able to perform one of their basic duties, which is checks and balances.”

Utomi also revealed that he pitched the idea of a shadow cabinet to the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2007, and declined an offer to join his government.

Utomi pointed to the ongoing coastal highway project as an example of what he called a lack of strategic planning in government.

The professor also criticized Nigeria’s outdated approach to agriculture, stressing that the sector must modernize and move beyond the “hoe and cutlass” era.

On security, he called for urgent reforms and backed the introduction of state police as a way to tackle rising insecurity.

Utomi also threw his support behind the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a coalition party he believes can serve as a genuine alternative for Nigerians tired of the traditional political setup.

“It will give Nigerians an alternative. The coalition is work in progress to use value projects to move the country forward,” he said.

This comes weeks after the Department of State Services (DSS) filed a fresh request at the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking for an order to stop Professor Patrick Utomi from holding rallies or making public statements tied to a case already before the court.