Buhari’s Government is crippled – Pat Utomi

Pat Utomi, a political economist and management expert, has picked holes in the system of governance in Nigeria. He also believes that the present administration has no solutions to the problems of the country.

Utomi was reported to have said “I think that the government is crippled; it is not connecting to the solution as a result of absence of leadership. At every level of our society, there is a failure of leadership”.

“Leadership is about connecting to the soul of the people and giving everything sacrificially to lift it up.”

He decried that the nation’s political class has failed to align itself to the new reality, stressing that Nigeria lacked the type of politics that would enable the government to be responsive to the needs of the people.

Utomi, further lashed out at the political class, saying “what we have is a failed political class, and this was one of the key issues that led to the emergence of the National Consultative Forum”.

He stated that “the present situation in the country is not about the performance of a particular government, it has generated to a national crisis”.

He further stated “We have an existential crisis. The political class has failed Nigeria, I am part of them but I have fought always to make it different but you don’t always win”.

He had great concerns about the structure of the political system, which he lamented has prevented those who want to make a difference from being successful.

He reiterated that all political parties in the country have been turned into private properties of some individuals, that he says are motivated only by personal power, influence, and search for material resources. He noted that the actions of these individuals, have prevented the country from running as it ought to.

Utomi also had knocks for the National Assembly, accusing them of usurping the duties of the ministries.

He said, “There is a total collapse of separation of powers and the legislature has taken over the duties of the executive and the executive is complicit in allowing that to happen”.

“Anytime I have been asked to analyse the budget in this country for the last 20 years, I don’t analyse the budget because the budget process in this county is a joke.”

“Today, the House Committee Chair on appropriation is more important to a national budget than the Minister of Finance because this game that is played in the National Assembly means that what comes out is really the budget of the National Assembly, not of the executive branch and the executive branch has refused to engage the matter”.

“What is going on today is a hijack of the executive functions by the legislature and for most of them, it is just a game”.

He, however, proposed a constitutional reform that would essentially reduce the legislative branch to the citizen and part-time legislature.

When asked if he is not afraid he will be picked by the DSS for his hard stance, Utomi responded saying, “I am looking forward to their invitation”.