A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeboro Adamson, has supported the Department of State Services’ decision to take legal action against Professor Pat Utomi’s shadow government initiative. Adamson believes the DSS has acted within its constitutional mandate.
Professor Utomi, a former presidential candidate, launched the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government, aimed at monitoring the current administration’s performance and providing alternative policy solutions. However, the DSS sees this as a potential threat to national stability and has filed a court challenge to determine the initiative’s constitutional validity.
Adamson commended the DSS for choosing a civil suit over a criminal one, describing itas a “civilized way of doing things.” He noted that the DSS’s approach allows the courts to decide whether Utomi’s actions are constitutional.
A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, labelled Utomi’s proposal as treasonous, saying it amounts to a coup by other means. In contrast, Utomi insists his coalition is neither illegal nor unconstitutional, emphasizing its role in observing, critiquing, and offering alternatives in key sectors
The DSS has not commented publicly on the court proceedings, but sources suggest they view the initiative as a potential threat to constitutional order and public stability. The court’s decision will determine the fate of Utomi’s shadow government initiative