Political economist, and activist, Pat Utomi has lamented that political parties have lost their relevance in the political space.
He noted that the only strong opposition to the Federal Government are few voices on social media.
Utomi stated this at the David Oladipo Leadership Roundtable themed “Nigeria and Opposition Politics” in Lagos.
He lamented that most opposition parties had lost their voices due to fear of persecution and internal crises.
The activist was represented by Chidi Okpaluba, President of the Centre for Africa Renaissance, Reformation and Development.
“The only strong opposition we have today is a few active citizens on social media. Outside that, no political party is challenging this government,” Utomi said.
He faulted the silence of opposition parties on electoral reforms and constitutional violations.
The scholar and politician noted that “if the electoral system is not reformed, opposition parties cannot win elections in Nigeria.”
At the event, the convener, David Oladipo, said Nigeria was failing to get value for democracy because opposition parties had become too weak to provide viable alternatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He argued that opposition parties had abandoned rigorous intellectual work, reducing their relevance in governance debates.
“Opposition is not just about shouting. It requires designing policies, proposing solutions and putting forward ideas that can compel the ruling party to act,” he said.
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