National Assembly is the Worst Thing to Happen to Nigeria – Utomi

Renowned economist, Pat Utomi, has criticized the National Assembly, describing it as the worst thing to have happened to Nigeria.

In an interview with Punch, Utomi expressed deep frustration over the state of the country, blaming the political class and elite, particularly the legal sector, for their failure to adopt alternative thinking to fix the nation’s problems.

Utomi argued that the National Assembly, which should serve as a platform for critical debates to improve the nation’s fortunes, has been “captured.” He described its members as “hustlers” focused on personal gain rather than the nation’s progress.

“Nigeria is failing; democracy is not working,” Utomi said. He emphasized the need for a “war cabinet” approach where all political actors pull together to address the country’s issues, warning that the absence of such commitment leads to economic and governance collapse.

He pointed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s actions during the oil crisis of 1976/1977 as an example of responsible leadership, contrasting it with the current political class, which he criticized for reckless spending of public resources.

Utomi concluded by urging political leaders to recognize that Nigeria is in a state akin to war and should unite to forge a national consensus on solving the country’s critical problems.