Court bars Pat Utomi shadow government
A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred political economist Prof. Pat Utomi from proceeding with plans to establish a shadow government in Nigeria.
The ruling followed a suit filed by concerned citizens who argued that such a move could undermine the nation’s democratic institutions and stability. Delivering judgment, Justice A.R. Mohammed held that while freedom of expression is guaranteed under the constitution, it does not extend to forming alternative structures that could rival the authority of the state.
“No individual or group has the constitutional right to establish a parallel government, whether styled as ‘shadow’ or otherwise,” the judge ruled.
Prof. Utomi had earlier defended the initiative, saying it was meant to hold government accountable and offer Nigerians alternative policy directions.
Legal analysts say the judgment reaffirms the exclusivity of elected governments in Nigeria’s constitutional order, even as it raises debates about the role of civil society in governance oversight.
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