A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared unlawful the move by former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, to establish a shadow government in Nigeria.

Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice James Omotosho ruled that the idea of a shadow cabinet is alien to Nigeria’s presidential system of government and therefore unconstitutional.

The suit was filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), which argued that Utomi’s plan posed a potential threat to national security.

In his ruling, Justice Omotosho restrained Utomi and his associates from proceeding with the plan. He noted that while Nigerians have the right to association and to criticise the government, such rights cannot be stretched to cover what he described as “unlawful activities.”

The court further commended the DSS for initiating the case, stressing that the security agency acted within its mandate to safeguard internal security and prevent actions capable of destabilising the country.

The judgment effectively puts an end to Utomi’s controversial proposal, which had sparked debates about alternative governance models in Nigeria.