Former presidential candidate and political economist, Prof Patrick Utomi, has cautioned that Nigeria could experience serious social instability if public confidence in its electoral system, institutions and legal framework continues to decline.
Utomi spoke at the ongoing 22nd Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) Conference in Enugu, where he stressed the importance of credible elections in giving governments legitimacy.
He argued that when citizens lose faith in the electoral process and conclude that elections cannot influence governance, the huge financial resources committed to conducting such elections would effectively be wasted.
Addressing lawyers, journalists and other participants at the conference, Utomi said credible elections, effective institutions and clear laws were necessary for maintaining social stability and creating the conditions for national development.
According to him, “If the people are convinced that there is no point, what is an election? Imagine the amount of money we waste to have elections that are totally meaningless because they do not legitimise anybody.”
The economist said elections should not be viewed solely as a mechanism for selecting political office holders, but also as an essential part of developing strong and dependable institutions.
He noted that the strength of a country’s institutions was one of the factors that could explain why some nations achieve sustained economic progress while others struggle.
“Institutions are simply boundaries that define behaviour. Within the boundaries, you can anticipate outcomes. Outside the boundaries, there are consequences.
“Because of it, uncertainty is reduced, transaction costs are lowered, and people can grow and make progress,” he said.
Utomi expressed concern about what he described as the growing acceptance of practices that should ordinarily be considered unacceptable in Nigeria. He argued that this trend had increased the cost of conducting business and undermined confidence in public institutions.
“What has happened to us, unfortunately, is because the abnormal has become so accepted that the transaction costs of engaging in Nigeria are such that we are only heading in one direction — ultimate collapse,” he warned.
He further cautioned that without a significant improvement in Nigeria’s institutional and governance systems, the country could face a major crisis with severe consequences.
According to Utomi, widespread frustration could also become destructive when citizens feel that they have no legitimate avenues through which they can influence the direction of their society.
“If people realise that they can’t do anything about anything, they keep quiet. And today, they get angry enough, they destroy something,” he said.
He referred to the experiences of countries that experienced institutional collapse and violent conflicts, saying they offered important lessons about the dangers of weakening governance structures.
Utomi also urged journalists and editors to recognise their role as “gatekeepers” in safeguarding democratic institutions and demanding accountability from those in positions of authority.
He said the media had a significant responsibility in preventing the deterioration of public institutions, while lawyers also had an important role because of the central place of law in maintaining social order.
The political economist stressed the need for laws to be clearly defined, arguing that precision helps establish certainty and sets clear boundaries for acceptable behaviour.
“If the law cannot show precision, it has no value because that’s what it does to help society order where it is going,” he said.
Utomi commended the organisers of the conference for selecting a theme he described as important to Nigeria’s future.
He urged participants to move beyond discussions and ensure that the ideas generated at the gathering resulted in concrete actions capable of strengthening the country’s institutions.
“Please, let us get value out of this. It matters,” he said.