Professor of political economy, Pat Utomi has countered the presidency’s claim of “disgruntled religious and past political leaders” working with “external forces” to overthrow the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Utomi in an interview with PUNCH described the claim as “silly”, and further alleged that people in power are the ones who have ordered a coup against the Nigerian people by giving us a government we are not sure exists.

He said; 

“I have followed the funny exchanges between those who say that some people are planning a coup by having a conference; it is silly in the extreme, because people who are in power are the ones who have ordered a coup against the Nigerian people by giving us a government we are not sure exists. They are then accusing citizens, who want to get together.”

On calls for Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami to resign on grounds of being an extremist, Utomi said the executive is “totally insensitive to the Nigerian people, almost offensively intolerant of what Nigerians think.”

He added; 

“Leaders should provide leadership; democracy needs to be sensitive to the people. The unfortunate situation with the current reality is that the political class, especially the executive, is totally insensitive to the Nigerian people, almost offensively intolerant of what Nigerians think. 

“In fact, if you wanted Pantami to go, the thing to tell the government is “Pantami should stay” and they will do the exact opposite, because they have total disregard for the Nigerian people.

“So, I have no judgment, personally, as to whether or not Pantami should go. The thing is the whole democratic order has failed us. What Nigeria needs is to restore a sense of belief in democracy by doing something really dramatic.

“Right now, the legitimacy of this regime is gone. I believe that one of the ways we can move forward is to, immediately, put together a government of national unity, to see if we can bring some legitimacy back to government.”