2023: A Third Force Is Coming Against APC, PDP – Pat Utomi

Political economist, Pat Utomi on Sunday stated that Nigeria needs a new political movement to reform the country ahead of the 2023 general election.

Utomi while speaking in an interview with Channels TV disclosed that a new political movement will be formed soon and it would be made up of renowned Nigerians, civil society organisations (CSOs) and labour unions.

He said, “There are these two juggernauts (APC and PDP) and there is a third one coming.

“They are actually not two juggernauts but one people who call themselves different names. Now, we want to create another group that is more authentic, more focused on the people. This is the group that we are putting together.

“The so-called major parties that exist currently are two sides to the same coin. Let us call that one-party, it is meant for personal wrangling. If you are tired of what is given in this group, move to the other group.

“I think Nigerians have had enough of that. We need another real political movement driven by ideas. So, the conversation has been how to bring together a number of people to front what I call the ‘Coalition of the Willing and the Dispossessed’.

“It is an amazing array of Nigerians. By the way, for the first time, civil societies are ready to be inside of the arena. They played as civil society in the past but civil society is coming in. Think of all the major leaders of the civil society, whether it is Femi Falana, Oby Ezekwesili — they are all part of this arrangement.

“The labour as I told you, the NLC president made a full and total commitment that they would bring the labour movement into what we are founding. People like Dr Usman Bugaje, former Governor (of Kano State) Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, and on and on. We are fully committed to this process.”

Recall that a coalition formed under the aegis of the National Consultative Front (NCF) by Utomi and some prominent Nigerians was designed to galvanise support for legislation for the electronic transfer of election results.