A Chieftain of the Labour Party, Pat Utomi, has told the Department of State Services (DSS) to go after politicians defecting to other parties while retaining their position contrary to the nation’s constitution.
News360 Info reported that the DSS sued Professor Utomi for forming a shadow government against the government of President Bola Tinubu.
Reacting to DSS’s legal action, Utomi accused the internal intelligence agency of chasing shadows. He stated that the security agency ought to have sued politicians defecting from their parties.
“It’s amazing that we are chasing shadows while our constitution is unraveling aided by those in power. The constitution holds that those who defect from parties they were elected from must have their seats declared vacant. If DSS enjoys going to court, it should prosecute such,” he said.
In a series of tweets on his handle, on Friday, the Professor of Political Economics accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of financing crises in other political parties to create a one-party state.
“With the one-party state intentions of APC and financing of crisis in all parties outside APC, compounded by the greed of the politicians to remain in the prebendal lane of sharing, the desperation for oxygen in the system meant the imperative of the Big Tent shadow team,” he stated.
He added that his Big Tent shadow team aims to educate Nigerians on the policies of the government and empower them to hold leaders accountable.
“What is the goal of the Big Tent shadow team. It is a simple effort at the education of citizenry about governance and policy options as well as holding power accountable. I first suggested a shadow group as a means of deepening our democracy about 14 years ago,” he added.
