Political economist and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Professor Pat Utomi, has declared that he is better prepared to lead Nigeria than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Peter Obi and other leading opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election, as debates intensify over the country’s political future.
Utomi made the declaration on Sunday while appearing on the television programme Politics Today, where he spoke on his political journey, opposition coalition talks and what he described as Nigeria’s worsening democratic and governance crisis.
“Has it ever occurred to you that I am more qualified than all of them — Atiku, Obi, including Bola Tinubu, in terms of preparation to lead Nigeria? To be totally honest, I have never left the ADC since 2007,” Utomi said.
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He recalled the ADC’s early efforts at coalition‑building after the 2007 elections, noting that the party once brought together political figures who are now spread across different camps, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We went around trying to find people to come together. After the 2007 run of the ADC, that effort included both the incumbent Tinubu and most of the people in the ADC today — the good, the bad and the ugly,” he said.
Utomi argued that genuine national progress can only be achieved through inclusive political engagement rather than exclusionary calculations.
“If we are going to make progress, it is important to bring everybody into the house,” he added.
Defections Won’t Guarantee Victory — Utomi
The ADC chieftain dismissed the growing assumption that defections of state governors into the APC would automatically translate into victory in 2027, warning that such thinking underestimates the electorate.
“Check how many APC governors actually won their states in the last election. Very few,” he said.
“The idea that people can just defect and then win through manipulation will not work. It won’t be like that in 2027.”
He warned that Nigeria’s continued democratic decline could have serious consequences if urgent reforms are not undertaken, cautioning against any attempt to rig the people’s mandate.
“Nigeria cannot continue the way it has been. If we keep going down this road, the consequences will be grave,” Utomi said.
Utomi’s comments come amid growing internal debate within the ADC and the broader opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
Two weeks ago, another ADC chieftain and former presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, publicly criticised Utomi over remarks suggesting he would withdraw his support for Peter Obi if the former Anambra State governor accepted a vice‑presidential slot in the emerging opposition coalition.
Momodu said Utomi’s position undermined democratic choice within the opposition.
“Anyone insisting that Obi cannot run behind anyone is not a democrat who truly wants to rescue Nigeria from a one‑man dictatorship,” Momodu wrote on his verified X account.
A Veteran of Politics and Public Service
Professor Utomi is a respected political economist, management expert and former presidential candidate.
He is the founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL) and a key figure in the formation of the African Democratic Congress.
He is a professor at Lagos Business School and has served in senior roles in both government and the private sector, including as an adviser to the President of Nigeria and as Chief Operating Officer of Volkswagen Nigeria.
As 2027 approaches, Utomi’s bold declaration has injected fresh energy into the opposition debate, setting the stage for a fierce contest over who is best prepared to lead Africa’s largest democracy into its next political era.
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