Economist and political advocate, Professor Pat Utomi, has unveiled a shadow government under the Big Tent Coalition, aiming to provide structured opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Calling it a “national emergency response,” Utomi emphasized the need to address growing concerns about democracy, governance failures, and economic mismanagement. The group will function as a policy watchdog, offering alternatives and holding the government accountable across critical sectors like education, economy, healthcare, and security.
Utomi criticized the current administration’s handling of the economy, highlighting the surge in poverty, unemployment, and the exit of multinational companies due to flawed policies. He argued that the government’s reliance on broad political consensus, such as on fuel subsidy removal, masked serious policy errors and failed to shield the economy from damage. He also emphasized the group’s commitment to transparency and ethics, which he claims are lacking in the present administration.
On security, Utomi advocated for a decentralized policing model. He proposed a layered security structure involving community police, state police, and a Federal National Guard. He maintained that effective local security would require trained, armed forces at the grassroots level, and accused the government of resisting reforms due to entrenched corruption and excessive centralization.
The shadow cabinet includes professionals and civil society leaders from various opposition parties. Human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi will lead the Ombudsman and Good Governance unit, alongside other notable figures such as Oghene Momoh, Halima Ahmed, and Cheta Nwanze. The broader team comprises economists, policy analysts, lawyers, and political thinkers tasked with generating reform-driven alternatives to government policy, offering Nigerians a credible and structured opposition platform.
