Pat Utomi denies being organiser of August nationwide protest

A Nigerian political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has reacted to a comment by the presidency alleging that he was one of the organizers of the planned August nationwide protest.

Bayo Onanuga, a senior spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu on Saturday accused supporters of the Labour Party presidential candidate in the last election, Peter Obi, of organizing the End Bad Government protest scheduled for August 1st to 10th.

According to Onanuga, some social media influencers, including one “FS Yusuf, another rabid Obi supporter, and Professor Pat Utomi, a Labour Party chieftain and a guy on X who goes by the pseudonym Peter Obi’s First Son” are behind the planned protest.

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Reacting, Utomi in a post on his official X microblogging handle, said he has nothing against the planned nationwide demonstration.

He said, “Let it be clear that I have nothing against protests. It is a legitimate instrument of democracy for raising the voice of citizens.

“I have participated in many in my time. From my undergraduate days at UNN to marching with concerned professionals following the June 12 election annulment.

He noted that, though he did not know the organizers of the 2020 EndSARS protests, “I supported it”.

“So if I were part of whatever is being planned for August, I would wear it as a badge of honor and not wait to be called out by Bayo Onanuga.”