Political economist and activist, Professor Pat Utomi, has raised concerns over the weakening of Nigeria’s opposition parties, saying that the only effective voices challenging the Federal Government are a handful of citizens active on social media.
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Utomi made the remarks at the David Oladipo Leadership Roundtable themed “Nigeria and Opposition Politics” on Tuesday in Lagos. The event was convened by Dr. David Oladipo, who observed that Nigeria is failing to get value from democracy because opposition parties are too weak to offer viable alternatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Opposition is not just about shouting. It requires designing policies, proposing solutions, and putting forward ideas that can compel the ruling party to act,” Oladipo said.
Represented at the roundtable by Dr. Chidi Okpaluba, President of the Centre for Africa Renaissance, Reformation and Development, Utomi lamented that fear of persecution and internal crises have left most opposition parties voiceless.
“The only strong opposition we have today is a few active citizens on social media. Outside that, no political party is challenging this government,” he said, faulting the silence of parties on electoral reforms and constitutional violations.
Utomi further noted that “if the electoral system is not reformed, opposition parties cannot win elections in Nigeria.”
Participants at the roundtable agreed that the absence of a credible opposition poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s democratic survival. They warned that without reform and collaboration, the country risks sliding into a one-party state.
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