A Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, declaring that Nigeria’s current situation is worse than it was during the military regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
Utomi made the remarks during an interview on Nigeria Info 99.3FM while reacting to concerns recently raised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria over the state of the country.
According to him, the position expressed by the Catholic bishops reflects the frustrations of many Nigerians rather than the opinion of a few church leaders.
He explained that the Catholic Church follows an established consultative process before taking positions on national issues, noting that various bodies, including the Justice, Development and Peace Commission, contribute to policy discussions before resolutions are adopted by the bishops.
“The bishops had met before they visited the President. The speech delivered by Cardinal John Onaiyekan broadly reflected the collective concerns of the bishops, although individuals may still have their personal opinions,” Utomi said.
The former presidential candidate argued that Nigeria’s democratic experience has failed to deliver the expected dividends, blaming the country’s present challenges partly on what he described as the flawed transition from military to civilian rule in 1998.
“I think we’re in a worse condition than under Abacha. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.
Utomi, a long-time advocate of governance reforms, did not elaborate on specific indices supporting his comparison but maintained that the country’s worsening socio-economic and political conditions have deepened public dissatisfaction.
His comments come amid growing criticism from opposition figures, civil society organisations and religious leaders over the rising cost of living, insecurity and economic hardship across the country.
The Catholic Bishops had, during a recent engagement with President Tinubu, expressed concerns over the nation’s economic difficulties, insecurity and governance challenges, urging the Federal Government to take urgent steps to restore public confidence and improve citizens’ welfare.
The Presidency has repeatedly defended its economic reforms, insisting that the current hardships are temporary and necessary to reposition the economy for sustainable growth.
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