DSS seeks court order to restrain Utomi from staging shadow govt rallies

The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed an application before a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to restrain Professor Pat Utomi from making further public comments or organising rallies in support of his recently launched shadow government.

This move follows Utomi’s announcement on May 5, where he unveiled the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government—a political initiative aimed at offering what he described as a “credible opposition” to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The virtual launch of the shadow government drew nationwide attention, as Utomi, a respected professor of political economy, positioned the platform as an alternative voice in Nigeria’s democratic process.

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The DSS thereafter filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025 against the professor, praying the court to declare that the shadow government violates the constitution.

In a fresh application brought before the court, the secret service through its counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, submitted that it gathered, through monitoring and intelligence reports, that Utomi, who is out of the country and is due to return on June 6, plans “to stage road shows and rallies under the guise of freedom of speech and association in a bid to cause public discontent in furtherance of his establishment of the purported shadow government/shadow cabinet”.

In a supporting affidavit, the plaintiff added that Utomi’s intention “is to stage road shows and rallies that are capable of drawing a large number of Nigerians with intent that will cause huge disruption of peace, breakdown of public order, enable riots and violent protests just as the recent ‘End SARS’ protests in 2020″.

“All the planned protests, riots and agitations that will ensue, if the purported actions of the defendant/respondent are not stayed, may lead to mayhem with a potential for anarchy, loss of lives and property.

“The proposed allies, road shows and actions of the defendant/respondent constitute a serious threat to the public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The DSS stated that on May 26, during the fourth edition of the Topaz Lecture Series, themed ‘Shadow Government: A Distraction or Necessity’, hosted by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Mass Communication class of 1988 alumni association, Utomi made statements capable of undermining the pending suit.

They averred that if not restrained, Utomi’s proposed rallies, road shows and actions “constitute a serious threat to the public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

Consequently, the applicants are praying the court for “an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendant/respondent (Utomi), his agents, privies, associates, servants, workers or any person acting through him from staging road shows, rallies, public lectures or any form of public gathering, newspaper publications, television programmes, jingles or any other public enlightenment programme (s) aimed at sensitising, instigating, propagating or in any way promoting the purported “shadow government/shadow cabinet” or its objectives or goals with the view to establishing the said “shadow government” pending the hearing and determination of this substantive suit”.

“It is in the interest of justice, national security, and the rule of law for this honourable court to grant this application,” the suit reads.