Utomi: Nigeria Worse Under Tinubu Than During Abacha Era.

Utomi: Nigeria Worse Under Tinubu Than During Abacha Era.

Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has strongly criticised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring that Nigeria is currently in a worse condition than it was under the late military Head of State, Sani Abacha.

Utomi made the remarks during an interview on Nigeria Info 99.3FM, where he reacted to recent concerns raised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria over the state of the country. According to him, the concerns expressed by the bishops reflect the growing frustrations of many Nigerians over the nation’s economic and political challenges.

He explained that the Catholic Church follows a well-defined process before making public pronouncements on national issues, noting that bodies such as the Justice, Development and Peace Commission contribute to policy discussions before resolutions are adopted by the bishops.

According to Utomi, the bishops had held internal consultations before meeting with President Tinubu, adding that the address delivered by Cardinal John Onaiyekan represented the collective position of the bishops, even though individual members may still hold personal views on certain matters.

“The bishops have had a meeting before they went to see the president. The speech delivered by Cardinal John Onaiyekan generally reflects the collective concerns of the bishops, although individual members may still hold personal opinions,” Utomi said.

Drawing a comparison between the current administration and the era of General Abacha, Utomi stated that Nigeria’s present circumstances are more troubling.

“I think we’re in a worse condition than under Abacha. There’s no doubt about it,” he declared.

The political economist also attributed some of the country’s current difficulties to what he described as the shortcomings of Nigeria’s 1998 transition from military rule to democratic governance, arguing that the process failed to lay a solid foundation for sustainable democratic development.

Utomi’s remarks come amid increasing public debate over Nigeria’s economic conditions, governance, security, and the rising cost of living, with various groups continuing to call for reforms aimed at addressing the nation’s pressing challenges.