ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Political economist and Chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Professor Pat Utomi, has declared that he is better prepared to govern Nigeria than President Bola Tinubu and other leading opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
Utomi made the assertion on Sunday while speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, where he reflected on his political journey, opposition coalition talks, and what he described as Nigeria’s deepening democratic and governance crisis.
According to him, his years of policy engagement, party loyalty, and national service place him ahead of both ruling and opposition contenders in terms of readiness to lead the country.
“Has it ever occurred to you that I am more qualified than all of them including Atiku, Obi and even Bola Tinubu in terms of preparation to lead Nigeria?” Utomi asked.
“To be completely honest, I have never left the ADC since 2007*”
The former presidential candidate recalled the ADC’s early attempts at coalition-building after the 2007 elections, noting that many political actors involved in those discussions are now scattered across rival political camps, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We went around trying to bring people together after the 2007 elections,” he said.
“If you listened to Ralph Nwosu on October 31, 2025, he spoke about it. I personally reached out to build a coalition, and at some point, that effort included the incumbent President Tinubu and several people who are today in the ADC the good, the bad and the ugly.”
READ ALSO: Tinubu Unstoppable In 2027 Election – Leke Abejide
Utomi argued that Nigeria’s political stagnation is largely due to exclusionary politics, insisting that genuine progress can only be achieved through inclusive national engagement.
“If we are serious about making progress as a nation, it is important to bring everybody into the house,” he stressed.
He also dismissed the growing belief that the defection of governors to the ruling APC would automatically guarantee electoral victory in 2027, describing such assumptions as misplaced and dangerous.
“Check how many APC governors actually won their states in the last election very few,” Utomi said.
“The thinking is that if enough governors defect, they can manipulate the process the way it was done in places like Port Harcourt, and then victory becomes certain. I want to tell you clearly it won’t be like that.”
The ADC stalwart warned that Nigeria’s continued democratic decline could trigger grave consequences if urgent reforms are not undertaken.
He cautioned against any attempt to subvert the people’s mandate in the next general election, warning that instability could spiral beyond control.
“Tomahawk missiles will end up in the backyards of some people,” Utomi warned.
“Nigeria cannot continue the way it has been going.”
Drawing from his international engagements after the 2007 elections, Utomi recounted a conversation with global leaders who openly questioned the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“When I ran in 2007, I attended a post-election lunch with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin,” he said.
READ ALSO: APC Defends Tinubu, Warns Opposition Against Politicising EFCC
“They asked me, ‘What do you people call what just happened in your country?’”
According to him, the global community has long viewed Nigeria’s elections with skepticism, warning that persistent electoral malpractice threatens the country’s survival.
“The world has known for a long time that elections do not truly take place in Nigeria,” Utomi said.
“If it continued that way after 2007, they said there might be no Nigeria. We must be careful.”
Utomi’s remarks come amid internal tensions within the ADC and broader opposition negotiations ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
Two weeks ago, fellow ADC chieftain and former presidential aspirant Dele Momodu publicly criticised Utomi over comments regarding the party’s 2027 presidential ticket and the political future of former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi.
Momodu reacted via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account after Utomi warned in an earlier television interview that he would withdraw support for Obi if the former Anambra State governor accepted a vice-presidential slot in a proposed opposition coalition.
Expressing surprise at Utomi’s stance, Momodu argued that such a position undermines democratic choice within the opposition.
“Anyone insisting that Obi cannot run behind anyone is definitely not a democrat who wishes to rescue Nigeria from one-man dictatorship,” Momodu wrote.
While acknowledging his admiration for Utomi, Momodu maintained that Nigerian politics requires strategic realism, rather than rigid idealism, as opposition forces seek to challenge the ruling party in 2027.