Political economist, Professor Pat Utomi has sharply criticised what he describes as the government’s ongoing efforts to stifle his voice, following a legal move by the Department of State Services, DSS, to curtail his freedom of speech and assembly.
Utomi told The PUNCH he was “fed up” with repeated state interventions after the DSS filed a fresh motion at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to restrain him from making public comments or organising rallies related to his proposed shadow government.
The new application, filed by DSS counsel Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, builds on an existing suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, which challenges the constitutionality of Utomi’s efforts to launch an alternative cabinet system outside the formal government structure.
The DSS claims intelligence reports suggest Utomi, who is currently abroad, intends to return on June 6 to hold public demonstrations under the banner of civil liberty.
According to the agency, the rallies are veiled attempts to destabilise public order and promote a parallel political authority.
The DSS has requested an interlocutory injunction barring Utomi, his associates, or any proxies from conducting rallies, publishing materials, or engaging in activities that support the shadow government until the core legal dispute is resolved.
In its affidavit, the DSS warned that Utomi’s activities could incite public unrest akin to the 2020 EndSARS protests, potentially resulting in riots, property damage, and loss of lives.
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But Utomi has expressed deep frustration with what he views as governmental intolerance to dissenting voices. “I’m getting fed up with all of this,” he said. “If they are ready to shut my voice, I am ready to go to Ghana or anywhere else and live peacefully. I will retire next year and leave them to do whatever they want to do.”
He explained that his mission is not to incite unrest but to inspire the younger generation to embrace reform and push for a better Nigeria. “It is now up to the current generation to realise that there are people who don’t want their country to grow,” he added.
Utomi said Mike Ozekhome, SAN, had filed a formal defence on his behalf in response to the original DSS suit. He clarified that the rallies, which the DSS referred to as imminent, are actually scheduled for December—not June.
The DSS’s latest court filing referenced a recent speech Utomi gave at the University of Lagos during the fourth edition of the Topaz Lecture Series. There, he defended the idea of a shadow cabinet as a legitimate civic tool for holding governments accountable.
Justice James Omotosho has fixed June 25, 2025, for the hearing of the suit.
The DSS insists that the proposed activities, if allowed to proceed, could severely undermine public order and challenge the rule of law. It maintains that its actions are in line with its constitutional duty to protect Nigeria’s internal security.
As of now, the Federal High Court has not issued a ruling on the motion for injunction. The matter continues to stir national debate over the boundaries of lawful dissent in a democratic setting.
Punch Newspaper
