Professor Pat Utomi, a prominent political activist, renowned political economist, and chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has declared that engaging online social media users funded by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to attack opposition voices is a direct insult to his personal and professional integrity.
​Speaking on Sunday morning, October 25, 2026, during a press briefing held at the NDC National Headquarters in Abuja, Prof. Utomi strongly condemned what he described as orchestrated cyber-bullying and coordinated disinformation campaigns targeted at silencing government critics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
​Addressing members of the press, Prof. Utomi accused the ruling party of deploying state resources to finance “data boys” and social media operatives tasked with distracting the public from core governance issues.
​”It is a complete insult to my integrity to engage with paid APC data boys whose sole mandate is to troll, harass, and intimidate anyone who dares to speak the truth to power,” Utomi stated. “We have seen videos and monitored coordinated efforts of APC politicians trying to intimidate Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections. We must resist this attempt to instil fear.”
​He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, unite against voter intimidation, and focus on constructive national discourse rather than getting sidetracked by funded online propaganda.
​Reacting to the developments shortly after the press conference, NDC National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jude Ndukwe, echoed Utomi’s sentiments, asserting that the party has documented several instances of state-sponsored online harassment designed to suppress opposition political activities. He reiterated the NDC’s commitment to defending democratic principles and safeguarding freedom of speech in Nigeria.
In response, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed Prof. Utomi’s allegations as baseless political rhetoric. Morka stated that the ruling party does not hire or fund individuals to attack citizens, asserting that millions of Nigerians independently defend the achievements of the current administration on digital platforms.
​As political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, public intellectuals and opposition leaders continue to express concerns over the growing role of digital propaganda in shaping public perception.
Prof. Utomi called on civil society organisations and media bodies to monitor online political engagements to ensure a fair, transparent, and democratic space for all Nigerians.
