Political economist and activist, Professor Pat Utomi, has said that political parties in Nigeria have lost their voices, leaving only a handful of active citizens on social media as the main opposition to the Federal Government.
Utomi made the remark on Tuesday in Lagos during the David Oladipo Leadership Roundtable with the theme, “Nigeria and Opposition Politics.”
Convener of the roundtable, Dr. David Oladipo, lamented that Nigeria was failing to get full value from democracy because opposition parties had become too weak to provide viable alternatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He argued that opposition parties had abandoned rigorous intellectual work, which diminished their relevance in governance debates.
“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.
Also speaking at the event, Utomi lamented that most opposition parties had lost their voices due to fear of persecution and internal crises.
He was represented by Dr. Chidi Okpaluba, President of the Centre for Africa Renaissance, Reformation and Development.
According to Utomi, “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 criticized the silence of opposition parties on key issues such as electoral reforms and constitutional violations.
According to Vanguard, the scholar and politician stressed 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 posed a major threat to Nigeria’s democratic survival.
They warned that without reforms and collaboration among opposition forces, the country risked sliding into a one-party state.
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