Prominent economist and political activist, Professor Pat Utomi, has inaugurated a shadow government under the banner of the Big Tent Coalition, drawing members from various opposition parties. Launched virtually on Monday evening, the initiative is aimed at creating a credible opposition force to spotlight policy failures of the Bola Tinubu administration and offer alternative governance ideas.
Utomi said the coalition would play a “constructive and proactive” role in national discourse, championing accountability, transparency, and improved public policy.
However, the Federal Government swiftly rejected the initiative, calling it unconstitutional. Speaking to The PUNCH, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the formation of a shadow government as “an aberration” in Nigeria’s presidential system.
“At a time when our nation is set to celebrate 26 unbroken years of presidential democracy, the idea of a so-called shadow government is an aberration,” he said. “Nigeria is not a parliamentary system where such a concept is applicable, and there is no provision for it in our statute books.”
