Pat Utomi Tackles Presidency, Says ‘People In Power’ Ordered Coup Against Nigerians

Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy, says “people in
power” ordered a coup against Nigerians “by giving us a government
we are not sure exists”.

The professor spoke in the wake of claims by the presidency that
“disgruntled religious and past political leaders” are working with
“external forces” to overthrow the government of President
Muhammadu Buhari.

Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and
publicity, had said the presidency has “unimpeachable evidence” of
a plan to recruit leaders of some ethnic groups and politicians to
pass a vote of no confidence in Buhari and “throw the land into
further turmoil”.

Reacting in an interview with PUNCH on
Sunday^[1], Utomi
described the remark as “silly”.

“I have followed the funny exchanges between those who say that
some people are planning a coup by having a conference; it is silly
in the extreme, because people who are in power are the ones who
have ordered a coup against the Nigerian people by giving us a
government we are not sure exists. They are then accusing citizens,
who want to get together,” he said.

The professor, who doubles as founder of the Centre for Values
in Leadership, said Buhari’s administration is insensitive to the
demands of its citizens.

Commenting on the call for the resignation of Isa Pantami,
minister of communications and digital economy, over pro-Al-Qaeda
views, Utomi said the federal government is “almost offensively
intolerant” to what Nigerians think.

Although Utomi said he has no personal judgment on the issue, he
noted that the Buhari’s administration has lost legitimacy and that
the democratic order has failed.

He added that Nigeria needs a government of national unity to
restore confidence of the people.

“Leaders should provide leadership; democracy needs to be
sensitive to the people. The unfortunate situation with the current
reality is that the political class, especially the executive, is
totally insensitive to the Nigerian people, almost offensively
intolerant of what Nigerians think,” he said.

“In fact, if you wanted Pantami to go, the thing to tell the
government is “Pantami should stay” and they will do the exact
opposite, because they have total disregard for the Nigerian
people.

“So, I have no judgment, personally, as to whether or not
Pantami should go. The thing is the whole democratic order has
failed us. What Nigeria needs is to restore a sense of belief in
democracy by doing something really dramatic.

“Right now, the legitimacy of this regime is gone. I believe
that one of the ways we can move forward is to, immediately, put
together a government of national unity, to see if we can bring
some legitimacy back to government.”

Pat Utomi, a professor of political economy, says “people in
power” ordered a coup against Nigerians “by giving us a government
we are not sure exists”.

The professor spoke in the wake of claims by the presidency that
“disgruntled religious and past political leaders” are working with
“external forces” to overthrow the government of President
Muhammadu Buhari.

Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and
publicity, had said the presidency has “unimpeachable evidence” of
a plan to recruit leaders of some ethnic groups and politicians to
pass a vote of no confidence in Buhari and “throw the land into
further turmoil”.

Reacting in an interview with PUNCH on
Sunday^[1], Utomi
described the remark as “silly”.

“I have followed the funny exchanges between those who say that
some people are planning a coup by having a conference; it is silly
in the extreme, because people who are in power are the ones who
have ordered a coup against the Nigerian people by giving us a
government we are not sure exists. They are then accusing citizens,
who want to get together,” he said.

The professor, who doubles as founder of the Centre for Values
in Leadership, said Buhari’s administration is insensitive to the
demands of its citizens.

Commenting on the call for the resignation of Isa Pantami,
minister of communications and digital economy, over pro-Al-Qaeda
views, Utomi said the federal government is “almost offensively
intolerant” to what Nigerians think.

Although Utomi said he has no personal judgment on the issue, he
noted that the Buhari’s administration has lost legitimacy and that
the democratic order has failed.

He added that Nigeria needs a government of national unity to
restore confidence of the people.

“Leaders should provide leadership; democracy needs to be
sensitive to the people. The unfortunate situation with the current
reality is that the political class, especially the executive, is
totally insensitive to the Nigerian people, almost offensively
intolerant of what Nigerians think,” he said.

“In fact, if you wanted Pantami to go, the thing to tell the
government is “Pantami should stay” and they will do the exact
opposite, because they have total disregard for the Nigerian
people.

“So, I have no judgment, personally, as to whether or not
Pantami should go. The thing is the whole democratic order has
failed us. What Nigeria needs is to restore a sense of belief in
democracy by doing something really dramatic.

“Right now, the legitimacy of this regime is gone. I believe
that one of the ways we can move forward is to, immediately, put
together a government of national unity, to see if we can bring
some legitimacy back to government.”