Former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore has dismissed Professor Pat Utomi’s proposal to establish a “shadow government,” describing it as an ineffective symbolic gesture with little relevance to Nigeria’s urgent challenges.
Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels TV on Sunday, Sowore argued that the idea of forming a shadow cabinet was futile in a country where the current government is itself opaque and unaccountable.
“How do you replace a shadow government with another set of shadowy governments?” he asked rhetorically, criticising the attempt to replicate a democratic tradition typically found in parliamentary systems like the United Kingdom.
“I won’t begrudge anyone seeking ways to raise awareness,” Sowore said, “but forming a government made up of people calling themselves a shadow cabinet won’t make any real difference.”
A long-time advocate of radical democratic reform, Sowore insisted that symbolic actions cannot resolve Nigeria’s deep-rooted issues.
He questioned the practicality of Utomi’s plan, which envisions an alternative leadership structure mirroring the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu.
“What will this shadow government do? Offer alternatives to each ministry and agency? How does that even work?” he asked. “Aside from sounding academic, it won’t change the dire conditions Nigerians face today.”
Sowore added that Nigeria’s actual government already behaves like a shadow one — marked by secrecy, corruption, and disconnection from the public. Creating another such body, he argued, would merely replicate existing dysfunction.
“The government in power is already a shadow government. Setting up another superstructure and calling it a shadow government won’t make a dent in their actions,” he said.
Sowore’s comments come at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with worsening economic conditions, poor governance, and a lack of strong opposition.
While Utomi’s shadow government is intended to provide policy alternatives and promote good governance, Sowore maintains that true change can only come through civic engagement, mass mobilisation, and active political participation.