2023 election: Pat Utomi condemns politicians, state govts’ intolerance

Prof. Pat Utomi on Friday in Lagos, raised the alarm over growing incivility and intolerance weeks to the 2023 general elections.

The Convener of BIG-TENT, a coalition of Political Parties, Social Movements and Civil Society Organisations for Peter Obi-Baba-Ahmed Datti, addressed a news conference.

The economist said Nigeria’s democracy faces threat, accusing some state governments of denying opposition parties the use of public facilities.

“The experience of many participating in current elections suggest a significant level of a collapse of civility, growing fascism and polarisation of the country by politicians”, NAN quoted him.

Utomi noted that analysis by scholars and pollsters show continuous diminishing confidence in the democratic order in Nigeria.

He said the trend may possibly reverse due to the excitement of the Obidient movement which partly caused nearly 13 million new voters.

The former presidential candidate condemned situations where some state actors used public funds to oppress the opposition and their supporters.

Utomi cited the intimidation of landlords, religious centres and traditional institutions for allowing certain candidates use facilities for meetings and rallies.

“There has been a drastic decline in civility on the part of many politicians that Nigeria can be getting pushed into a class war that could destabilise our subregion and push us into anarchy.”

Calling for concerted efforts against this, the expert urged well-meaning citizens and organisations to speak against the “frightening threat of intolerance”.

The former Director of Lagos Business School (LBS) charged the electorate to vote out parties that intimidate opponents and prevent democracy from working.

Do You Need More Trending Updates? Then kindly bookmark our blog Realgosipcenter.com.ng, we will update you with more latest musics in mp3 audio format and video in mp4 formats as soon as they drop for quick downloads.