By Adeyemi Adeleye
A renowned political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, says his plan to form a mega political party with like-minded people and political groups ahead of 2027 general elections is on course.
Utomi, who returned to Nigeria on Wednesday after a long stay in the U.S., told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)on Thursday that the redemption of the country could not be achieved by the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) or any of the opposition parties.
He said the present political parties had failed the people and had not added value to nation-building .
According to him, the planned mega party is to disrupt the current political order and deliver that impactful leadership that the country truly deserves.
“It is precisely the reason I arrived Nigeria yesterday to continue that work(Formation of mega party)
“I believe that the political party system in Nigeria has failed completely. Political parties are not democratic and they are not serving the purpose.
“Political parties and politicians of these parties cannot save Nigeria now, it is clear.
“The nature and the structure of our politics is such that even good people, when they enter these existing political parties, will play to their interests.”,Utomi,Founder,Centre for Values in Leadership, said .
According to the former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2007 , parochial culture has consumed civic culture in the country and this has affected the mindset of politicians.
He said a new political order must be birthed to get Nigeria out of the woods and that citizens and leaders must begin to do the right things to reposition the country.
“Nigeria must be saved by its citizens and this is precisely what I am advancing.
“We are talking about value- driven citizenship with integrity, work ethics, respect for the dignity of people, regard for labour.
“We are created for others; we are not created for ourselves, we are created for the good of others. A tree does not take benefit from the shades it creates.
“We want Nigerians to develop that mindset. Right now, the mindset that Nigerians have is ,me, myself, and I.
“Self -love is so consuming and that is why Nigerian politicians don’t act in the interest of the people or the state. They act so narrowly in their self- interests.”he said.
Utomi said in continuation of work to float the mega party,he would hold meetings in Lagos this week, and hold meetings in Abuja next week before holding a news conference .
The political economist added he hoped to achieve much with the mega party talks before going back to the U.S.
Utomi said groups that would come together to form the mega platform were two cohorts of politicians- the ‘mea culpa’ and ‘new value “cohorts.
“The mea culpa cohort are politicians who have seen that what they did while in power, had not helped Nigeria are remorseful and are now willing to become part of the redemption initiative.
“There are also new Nigeria new value cohorts. This cohort will be working together ,and they will include people from all these other political parties,” he said.
He said that some elder statesmen would also be brought into the fold .
Recall that Utomi had in January 2024 said he had had conversations with leaders of some opposition parties on plan to form a new mega political party that would take power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
He disclosed that he had held discussions with some of the presidential candidates in the 2023 general elections ,including Atiku Abubakar of PDP, Peter Obi of LP and Rabiu Kwankwaso of NNPP over the possibility of bringing them and other opposition politicians together to form a new party. (NAN)
