A Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has raised alarm over what he described as “unseen hands” working to destabilise opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Utomi made the remarks on Tuesday during an appearance on Prime Time, a programme on Arise Television.
The Deputy Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Manifesto and Policy Committee stated that the interference appears to cut across major opposition platforms, including the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to him, internal challenges within political parties are often compounded by external influences, with some actors within the system serving as “willing tools” for disruptive forces.
Utomi noted that while political parties naturally contain a mix of individuals with varying intentions, the current trend poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic stability.
“There are some unseen hands trying to disrupt the Labour Party, PDP, and the ADC,” he said.
He further warned that such developments are eroding public trust in the democratic process, stressing that citizens are increasingly losing confidence in governance across the continent.
Citing broader trends, Utomi said data consistently shows that while Africans desire democracy, those who attain power often undermine its principles.
“The consistent outcome of this longitudinal data is that African people want democracy, but the people getting into power in Africa are preventing democracy from really taking place, and the people are losing hope in democracy,” he stated.
He called for urgent collective action to safeguard the nation’s democratic future, warning that failure to act could deepen disillusionment among citizens.
“We must save our country from that,” Utomi added.
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