Renowned Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has announced his permanent withdrawal from partisan politics and declared that he will not accept any government appointment or contract in Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Friday, Utomi made it clear that his focus is now solely on the welfare of future generations and the restoration of democratic values in the country.
“Let me state clearly: I will not run for public office, I will not accept an appointment or contract by any government in Nigeria. My only concern is the well-being of the next generation,” Utomi affirmed.
He emphasized that his life has been lived decently without reliance on government resources or corruption, pushing back against insinuations that his political activism is driven by personal gain.
“I have lived my life decently without government money or stealing anybody’s thing. I want to take that away from people who talk nonsense like, ‘Oh, he is looking for a contract’,” he stated.
Utomi also shed light on the concept of a shadow government, describing it as a legitimate democratic strategy for holding leadership accountable.
“Nothing can be more democratic than a group of citizens coming together to find a structured way of asking the government to be more accountable. What could be more democratic than that?” he asked.
He urged Nigerians to pay attention to the Afrobarometer, a pan-African research project that captures public opinion across African nations, noting that it offers valuable insights into citizens’ perception of democracy since 1999.
“Africans still love democracy, cling to it, but they are tired because their democracies are not working,” Utomi said.
According to him, the data shows widespread disillusionment, and he believes this presents a clear call for democratic reform across the continent.
“Our democracy does not have meaning. The purpose of serving the people is lost. It’s about individual gain or power,” he lamented.
Utomi concluded by calling for a renewal of democracy in Nigeria, encouraging political stakeholders — including the ruling All Progressives Congress — to support efforts that restore democratic integrity and service to the people.
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