However, critics — including the DSM — say the initiative lacks credibility and organisational substance. 

The Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) has criticised the recently unveiled "Shadow Government" initiative led by Professor Pat Utomi, describing it as lacking substance and disconnected from the real struggles of ordinary Nigerians.

The DSM argues that while the initiative may tap into widespread frustrations, it ultimately fails to provide a credible alternative to President Bola Tinubu's government, as it is rooted in the same capitalist framework that has fuelled Nigeria’s enduring socioeconomic crisis.

Speaking through its spokesperson, Peluola Adewale, the DSM asserted that the only viable path forward for Nigeria lies in a mass-based, democratically organised socialist movement driven by the working class and youth — not bourgeois coalitions made up of elites who support pro-market economic reforms.

Pat Utomi, a former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and a well-known political economist, unveiled “The Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government” on May 15, 2025. Describing it as a “national emergency response,” the coalition announced its intention to monitor government actions, identify policy failures, and propose sector-specific alternatives in areas such as the economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and law enforcement.

However, critics — including the DSM — say the initiative lacks credibility and organisational substance. 

“Their ‘shadow government’ is nothing more than a talking shop,” the DSM stated, highlighting that the coalition has no real connection to grassroots movements or working-class struggles.

The DSM contends that the initiative was more about media razzmatazz than offering real opposition, suggesting that Utomi's choice to brand the initiative a “shadow government” played into the hands of the current administration, giving security agencies like the Department of State Services (DSS) a pretext to challenge its legality in court.

Predictably, the Tinubu-led federal government, through the DSS, has filed a court case challenging the constitutionality of Utomi’s “shadow government.” While unsparing in its criticism of Utomi’s group, the DSM condemned the government’s action as an attack on democratic rights and freedom of association.

The group cited political commentator Laolu Akande, a former adviser to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who dismissed the initiative as largely inconsequential. “Just leave Utomi alone, he’s just having fun,” Akande reportedly told The Guardian on May 16.

Similarly, a columnist with Leadership newspaper described the coalition as “a political mirage,” suggesting it was more symbolic than practical—typical of Nigeria’s often performative opposition politics.

Despite the coalition’s populist rhetoric—highlighting the alarming rise in poverty, mass unemployment, and the exodus of multinational companies — the DSM maintains that Utomi’s pro-capitalist orientation renders him incapable of offering solutions that differ meaningfully from the Tinubu administration’s economic agenda.

Utomi has historically supported policies such as fuel subsidy removal, currency devaluation, and privatisation — policies the DSM labels as anti-poor. 

“If he has any solution at all, based on the same pro-capitalist philosophy as Tinubu,” the statement asserts, “it would be tantamount to asking a man to die by hanging instead of by bullet.”

The group also reminded the public that Utomi was a key supporter of Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential elections—another candidate who championed neoliberal economic reforms similar to those of President Tinubu.

The statement continues: "Recently, a group led by Professor Pat Utomi, a former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), launched what they called “The Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government.” They described it as a 'national emergency response' designed to systematically monitor government actions, identify failures, and propose alternative solutions across critical sectors such as the economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure, law and order, and constitutional reform (Punch, May 15).

"As expected, the Bola Tinubu government, which is not prepared to tolerate any opposition—strong or feeble, real or imaginary—has, through the Department of State Services (DSS), taken the promoters of the 'shadow government' to court, challenging its constitutionality in an attempt to shut it down.

"The truth is that Utomi and his group played into the government’s hands by adopting the label 'shadow government.' They could play the role of a bourgeois opposition—something they have openly declared—without resorting to such superfluous and provocative branding.

"It is clear they chose style over substance, aiming for media attention, as they do not appear to have the capacity to provide a formidable opposition to the government. In other words, their 'shadow government' is simply a talking shop, with no organizational connection to ordinary people or plan for concrete action.

"Therefore, Laolu Akande, special adviser to former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, was apt when he advised the DSS 'not to bother themselves too much. There are more important things for the DSS to deal with. Just leave Utomi alone, he’s just having fun' (Guardian, May 16). Also, a columnist with Leadership newspaper described Utomi’s platform as 'only a political mirage that is part of the political razzle-dazzle prevalent in Nigeria’s politics' (Leadership, May 17).

"Nonetheless, despite its weaknesses, Utomi’s group does express concerns that resonate with ordinary Nigerians. For instance, they highlighted: 'Nothing is more urgent than tackling the rising poverty across the country. Multinationals are shutting down, and millions are unemployed. Just two recent company exits illustrate how poorly thought-out policies have tanked the economy.'

"The problem, however, is that Utomi, contrary to his claim, as a capitalist politician, does not possess genuine alternative solutions to the economic policies that have caused these problems. It should be recalled that in the 2023 presidential election, he supported and campaigned for Peter Obi, who advocated essentially the same policies currently being implemented by President Tinubu. 

"Only the working people and youth can build a mass movement genuinely opposed to all anti-poor capitalist policies and strong enough to wrest political power from the ruling capitalist elite. But such a movement must be founded on a democratic socialist program, which stands as a true alternative to the exploitative capitalist system—especially in a country like Nigeria, ruled by a primitive and backward elite regardless of their education.

"We call on the working class, youth, trade unions, and pro-masses organisations to begin building such a movement, one that ensures Nigeria’s vast human and material resources are used for the benefit of the majority — not the greed of a few."