Utomi slams presidential aide Onanuga over mass protest allegations

Former presidential candidate and political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, has lashed out at President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, following allegations that he (Utomi) was one of the organizers of nationwide protests planned to begin on August 1.

Onanuga, in a statement posted on X on Saturday, alleged that Utomi, Peter Obi and their supporters were organizing a nationwide protest tagged #EndBadGovernment aimed at destabilizing President Bola Tinubu’s government.

“FS Yusuf, another diehard Obi supporter, and Professor Pat Utomi, a Labour Party leader and the man at X who goes by the pseudonym First Son Peter Obi” were behind the planned protest,” Onanuga alleged.

But reacting to the allegations on her X account on Sunday, Utomi said she was shocked that Onanuga would falsely accuse her when she had nothing to do with the planned protests.

“My self-esteem just collapsed. I used to think Bayo Onanuga was a reputable journalist until I started receiving calls this morning about his accusations that I was planning a demonstration in August,” Utomi wrote.

“I was living in Washington DC at first and had been busy with intense Fellowship for months with additional work on a book project so I didn’t even know there was a demonstration planned until I called a senior civil servant in Abuja to whom I had sent a questionnaire on public policy reform.

“I mentioned that I would be in Ghana to attend events surrounding the AU summit and he said if you are coming to Nigeria, be careful that the demonstrations in August do not cause flight disruptions.

“That’s how I heard about the protest plans. This morning when I heard about Onanuga’s comments, my inclination was to dismiss them.

“But another caller said it could be a deliberate lie to rationalize a nefarious plot. I would like Mr. Onanuga to provide any evidence to substantiate his comments.

“I must emphasize that I am not against protests. They are a legitimate democratic instrument to voice the aspirations of citizens.

“I have participated in many things during my life. From my college days at UNN to the march with concerned professionals after the cancellation of the election on June 12.

“So if I am part of whatever is planned in August, I will wear it as a badge of honor and will not wait to be reprimanded by Bayo Onanuga.”

Utomi’s post slams presidential aide Onanuga over alleged mass protests first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.