RismadarVoice Reporters, August 5, 2026
Professor of Political Economy Pat Utomi has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying Nigeria is currently in a worse condition than it was during the military regime of former Head of State Sani Abacha.
Utomi made the statement during an interview on a radio program in Port Harcourt while discussing the state of the nation and concerns recently raised by Catholic bishops in Nigeria.
He said the frustrations expressed by the Catholic leadership reflected a broader sense of dissatisfaction among Nigerians.
According to him, the Catholic Church has an established process for developing its positions on national issues, with various bodies, including the Justice, Development and Peace Commission, contributing to discussions before issues are considered by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.
Utomi stated that the recent meeting between the Catholic bishops and President Bola Tinubu was preceded by extensive consultations within the Church.
“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,” he said.
Comparing the current situation with Nigeria under Abacha, Utomi argued that the country had deteriorated further despite the return to democratic rule.
“I think we’re in a worse condition than under Abacha. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.
The political economist attributed part of the country’s current challenges to what he described as shortcomings in the transition from military rule to civilian government in 1998.
