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A Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, announced on Friday that Nigerians are organizing a team of 500 lawyers to support him in response to a lawsuit from the Department of State Services (DSS).
In a post on X, Utomi remarked, “It’s uplifting to see some rallying to assemble 500 lawyers to defend me against the DSS.”
The DSS has brought the case against Utomi at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing him of trying to set up what he refers to as a “shadow government” in Nigeria.
The agency has labeled this effort as a threat to both the Constitution and the existing democratically elected administration.
The lawsuit, initiated on May 13 by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Akinlolu Kehinde, seeks for the court to rule the purported shadow government initiative unconstitutional.
In his reaction, Utomi conveyed gratitude for the backing he has received from people across Nigeria.
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“I am encouraged by the messages of solidarity coming from all over Nigeria regarding this dubious pursuit of so-called shadow cabinets. It reminds me of the Nigeria I once knew. I want to extend my thanks to everyone,” he stated.
The concept of a shadow cabinet has generated mixed responses. Activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore characterized it as mostly symbolic and ineffective.
Discussing this on Channels TV’s Inside Sources program, Sowore remarked, “How do you replace a shadow government with another set of shadowy governments? I wouldn’t criticize anyone looking for solutions to raise awareness among the people.
However, I doubt that establishing a government with individuals calling themselves a shadow government will make any significant impact.”
