Pat Utomi, renowned Nigerian political economist, management expert, and public intellectual, says “unseen hands” are working to destabilise opposition parties in Nigeria, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Utomi spoke on Tuesday during an interview on Prime Time on Arise Television.
“First and foremost, as with the Labour Party, PDP, and now ADC, some unseen hands — probably quite seen but not trying to be who he is — are trying to disrupt these parties,” he said.
The ADC chieftain said internal crises within political parties are often exacerbated by external interference, noting that such actors exploit divisions to create instability.
“In all political parties, you’re going to have the good, the bad, and the ugly. The people who are just scoundrels who drift in and are willing tools,” he said.
Utomi added that where there is no strong political culture grounded in civility, it becomes easier for such individuals to be used to cause disruption within party structures.
Responding to criticisms that his claims reflect pressure within opposition parties, Utomi said the pattern of events across multiple parties suggests a systemic problem.
“If it happens to so many, then it stops being something wrong with this guy; it’s something wrong with the system,” he said.
He warned that the trend reflects a broader democratic challenge across Africa, citing concerns about state capture and weakening democratic institutions.
According to him, findings from Afrobarometer surveys indicate that while Africans desire democracy, those in power often undermine the processes required to sustain it.
“The African people want democracy, but the people that are doing power in Africa are preventing democracy from really taking place, and the people are losing hope in democracy,” he said.
Utomi called for urgent efforts to protect Nigeria’s democratic system, warning that continued erosion of public trust could have far-reaching consequences.
