DSS Sues Pat Utomi Over ‘Shadow Government’, Calls It Threat to National Security
✍️ By: IDNN Politics & Security Desk
In a dramatic escalation of political tensions, Nigeria’s foremost domestic intelligence agency, the Department of State Services (DSS), has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against Professor Pat Utomi, accusing him of attempting to establish a “shadow government” that threatens the country’s constitutional order.
Filed on May 13, 2025, and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, the lawsuit seeks a perpetual injunction to bar Utomi and his associates from further advancing the shadow cabinet concept. DSS describes the move as an aberration that could destabilize Nigeria’s democracy, warning of dire consequences if left unchecked.
⚖️ THE ALLEGATIONS:
In a strongly worded affidavit, the DSS stated:
“The ‘shadow government’ is an unregistered, unrecognised body seeking to usurp executive powers. It violates Sections 1(1), 1(2), and 14(2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution and poses a clear risk to national unity and stability.”
DSS accused Utomi of deliberately misleading the Nigerian public by announcing a parallel cabinet on social media and in public interviews.
WHO’S IN THIS ‘CABINET’?
According to intelligence reports submitted by the DSS:
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Dele Farotimi leads the Ombudsman & Good Governance Portfolio
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Cheta Nwanze, Oghene Momoh, Halima Ahmed, Obi Ajuga, Daniel Ikuonobe, and others serve in the Policy Delivery Unit
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A shadow Council of Economic Advisers has also been named
The DSS argues that these moves are calculated efforts to undermine confidence in Nigeria’s democratically elected government.
DSS POSITION:
The agency insists that Nigeria’s governance cannot exist outside constitutional boundaries:
“This parallel structure is illegal. Utomi’s statements challenge the legitimacy of elected government and have the potential to spark disaffection and civil unrest.”
UTOMI’S RESPONSE (SO FAR):
While Pat Utomi has yet to formally respond to the lawsuit, he had earlier defended his initiative as a civic oversight mechanism, designed to promote policy transparency and hold the government accountable.
In his own words last month:
“If the people elected do not perform, we will show how it should be done. This is a shadow team, not a threat — it’s an example.”
But the DSS sees it differently — and has now taken the battle to court.
IDNN ANALYSIS:
This legal showdown is far more than a court case — it’s a test of Nigeria’s democratic maturity. The DSS’s suit signals growing intolerance toward civic alternatives, while also challenging how far citizens and civil society can go in holding power to account.
Legal observers warn that a court ruling on this matter could set a precedent for how Nigeria interprets political opposition and civic innovation.
