Renowned Nigerian political economist, Pat Utomi, has firmly stated that he will no longer accept any political appointment or seek public office.
Utomi made the declaration on Friday, May 9, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he addressed recent criticisms from the All Progressives Congress (APC). The ruling party had attacked Utomi over comments in which he compared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Adolf Hitler.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC condemned Utomi’s comparison as reckless and insensitive, arguing that equating the experience of Nigerians under Tinubu’s leadership to conditions in Nazi Germany was inappropriate and offensive.
Morka also claimed that Utomi’s ability to float a “shadow government” without facing repercussions was proof of the administration’s tolerance for opposition voices. He added that Utomi’s comments were beneath someone of his stature.
In response, Utomi, during the interview, said:
“I prefer not to speak too much about Felix Morka. It would offend my own sense of decency. He is someone I used to consider a friend who spent a lot of time in my home.”
He lamented how politics in Nigeria has exposed disappointing sides of people once held in high regard, adding that personal attacks have taken precedence over meaningful issue-based debates in the country’s political culture—especially within the APC.
Utomi continued:
“If you go online, you’d think Nigerians detest each other. The way we insult and show hatred—it’s not the Nigeria I grew up in. At Nsukka, they called me ‘Yoruba boy’ without even knowing I was Yoruba. Most of my friends there were Yoruba.
My politics have always been centered around the Southwest. But looking at Nigeria today, it’s mentally difficult for me to reconcile what we’ve become as a people.