Hundreds of lawyers across Nigeria are mobilising in support of Professor Pat Utomi, following a legal challenge from the Department of State Services (DSS). Utomi revealed the development in a statement shared on X, saying supporters are planning to assemble 500 lawyers to defend him in court.
The DSS has taken legal action against Utomi, accusing him of attempting to set up a “shadow government” aimed at undermining Nigeria’s Constitution. The case, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on May 13, names Utomi as the sole defendant.
The security agency argued that Utomi’s initiative threatens national stability and poses a challenge to the country’s democratic structure. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Akinlolu Kehinde, filed the suit and described the move as a direct attack on the Constitution.
Utomi, a political economist and former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), welcomed the growing show of support. “It’s energising that some want to put together 500 lawyers to defend me against the DSS,” he wrote on X.
He also expressed gratitude for messages of solidarity, saying they reminded him of a more unified Nigeria. “I am heartened by messages of solidarity from across Nigeria on this shadowy business of chasing shadows of shadow cabinets,” he added.
Meanwhile, former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore described the shadow government idea as ineffective. During a television interview, Sowore said symbolic gestures like this lacked impact in a country where transparency is already lacking.
The lawyers backing Utomi say their action is not just about one man, but about defending civil rights, constitutional freedoms, and democratic participation.
As the case progresses, legal observers await the court’s interpretation of Utomi’s controversial plan and the constitutional implications it may carry.
