The Department of State Services (DSS) has petitioned a Federal High Court in Abuja to issue a restraining order against Professor Pat Utomi, preventing him from making further public pronouncements or organizing rallies in support of a shadow government initiative.
Professor Utomi, a political economist, had on May 5 unveiled a virtual political platform under the aegis of the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government. The stated goal of the coalition is to act as a viable opposition force to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
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Following this declaration, the DSS filed a legal suit, referenced as FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, urging the court to pronounce the formation of the shadow government unconstitutional.
In a recent motion filed before the same court, DSS legal representative Akinlolu Kehinde alleged that intelligence gathered by the agency revealed that Professor Utomi, currently outside Nigeria and expected back on June 6, intends to organize public events, including rallies and road shows, “under the guise of freedom of speech and association in a bid to cause public discontent in furtherance of his establishment of the purported shadow government/shadow cabinet.”
An affidavit submitted in support of the application claimed the planned gatherings are “capable of drawing a large number of Nigerians with intent that will cause huge disruption of peace, breakdown of public order, enable riots and violent protests just as the recent ‘End SARS’ protests in 2020.”
“All the planned protests, riots and agitations that will ensue, if the purported actions of the defendant/respondent are not stayed, may lead to mayhem with a potential for anarchy, loss of lives and property.
“The proposed allies, road shows and actions of the defendant/respondent constitute a serious threat to the public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The DSS further referenced Utomi’s remarks on May 26 during the fourth edition of the Topaz Lecture Series—hosted by alumni of the 1988 Mass Communication class of the University of Lagos—asserting that some of his comments could prejudice the ongoing litigation.
In light of these concerns, the DSS is requesting the court to issue “an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendant/respondent (Utomi), his agents, privies, associates, servants, workers or any person acting through him from staging road shows, rallies, public lectures or any form of public gathering, newspaper publications, television programmes, jingles or any other public enlightenment programme(s) aimed at sensitising, instigating, propagating or in any way promoting the purported ‘shadow government/shadow cabinet’ or its objectives or goals with the view to establishing the said ‘shadow government’ pending the hearing and determination of this substantive suit.”
“It is in the interest of justice, national security, and the rule of law for this honourable court to grant this application,” the motion concluded.
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