Professor Pat Utomi, former presidential candidate, has declared support for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the platform to rescue Nigeria from what he described as its “present darkness”.
In a post on X, Utomi said the ADC must go beyond simply replacing incumbents and focus on sacrificial service, national redemption, and restoring hope to future generations.
His words: “The key must not be just to replace incumbents. It must be about sacrificial service to redeem Nigeria and restore hope to our children.”
Utomi, who was the ADC’s first presidential candidate in 2007, said the new coalition leaders must focus on identifying and preparing young, competent Nigerians for leadership.
“The guardian class that has just taken charge will do well to focus on recruiting young, competent, courageous persons of character with a heart of service and nation building to be socialised for rapid growth,” he said.
He added that all politicians of the last 15 years, regardless of individual reputations, must accept collective responsibility for the country’s decline and treat the current political realignment as a moment of reflection and redemption.
“Every Nigerian politician of the last 15 years must accept, whether they were the good ones or not, that all are collectively guilty for Nigeria’s backward slide and must see whatever salvage mission of now as mea culpa and atonement,” he said.
Utomi warned against the dangers of “short-sighted narcissism” in power politics and called for a shift toward the common good.
“They must shed self and think common good. The short-sighted narcissism which has caused those who grab power to unwittingly abort progress for Nigeria needs now to yield to the community spirit that seeks to bake a bigger pie for all,” he said.
