Renowned Professor of Political Economy, Prof. Pat Utomi, has strongly criticized Nigerians who continuously defend the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, stating that they are protecting political leaders who actively make their lives miserable.
The 70-year-old public commentator and founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) made the statement on Saturday, October 17, 2026, via his official Facebook page.
Expressing dismay over the political loyalty displayed by many suffering citizens, Prof. Utomi questioned why political allegiances continue to override demands for accountability and bad governance.
“I find it sad to see Nigerians defend this APC government on a daily basis when all it has done is to continuously make life miserable for them,” Utomi wrote.
“Think about that for a moment. People who are suffering because of a government’s policies are the same people defending the government responsible for their suffering. What kind of tragedy is this?”
Drawing comparisons to Singapore’s rapid socio-economic transformation under former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Utomi emphasized that developmental challenges cannot be solved while citizens allow ethnic, religious, and partisan loyalties to shield political leadership from accountability.
He clarified that his persistent advocacy is aimed solely at securing a better future for coming generations rather than seeking political favors.
“I am 70 years old. I am not fighting for anything again because I have lived my life. I am fighting for the future of our children and the generations to come. No politician is worth sacrificing the future of millions of Nigerian children for,” he added.
“As for me, I am not allergic to good governance. And I will never defend any government that makes life miserable for the people it was elected to serve.”
At the time of reporting, official spokespersons for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency have yet to issue a response to Utomi’s statement.
