Pat Utomi, in a press statement he issued personally, claimed that he was not currently in Nigeria and he is not aware of any planned protests in the country.

A political economist, Prof Pat Utomi, has threatened to sue the special adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, for accusing him (Utomi) of sponsoring the planned nationwide protests

In a long statement on his verified X handle, Onanuga on Saturday accused Pat Utomi and Peter Obi of sponsoring the planned nationwide protests against Tinubu’s administration, adding that the duo would be held responsible for any liabilities that arise from the public demonstrations in August

But in a swift reaction, the Labour Party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, said there was no truth in Onanuga’s allegation, describing the allegation as a figment of his imagination.  

Pat Utomi, in a press statement he issued personally, claimed that he was not currently in Nigeria and he is not aware of any planned protests in the country.

He, therefore, added that his legal team would drag the Presidential aide to the appropriate court for the alleged defamation he made against him.

He said, “My attention has been drawn to a statement by Mr. Bayo Onaauga, a spokesman for the presidency alleging that i have been a key player in demonstrations viewed as insurrection.

Let me state first and foremost that I have no problem with protests. They are legitimate sources of feedback in a democracy.

“I have participated in several during military rule alongside some of those now in government. My reaction to Onanuga’s statement has therefore nothing to do with the legitimacy of the demonstrations but with the deliberate and outright falsehood of the statement.

“First, I have been living in the United States for several months now and was actually unaware of threats of demonstrations so I could not have been part of something I did not know was in the works.

“As a student of the State In post-Colonial Africa. I am horrified that agents of the State can fabricate deliberate falsehood.

“As I know phones are bugged there should at least be evidence of some contact between me and these ostensible demonstration planners. They do not even need to produce the conversation to show evidence but just a thread of contacts.

If no evidence of Mr. Onanuga’s false assertion is shown I will assume it reasonable that the object is to water the ground for false treasonable felony charges that can result in the claim of one’s life. I intend to therefore proceed to the international criminal and other human rights courts if a reasonable explanation is not forth coming.

“I will also have no choice but to institute a clalm of N500 Billon for of fake news, hate speech and intent to procure State murder of an Innocent citizen. If judicial capture makes justice problematic in Nigeria I expect that I can trust extra-national institutions and global human solidarity.

“As one who survived two assassination attempts under Abacha of which there is public court records when some of those now in power were my colleague freedom advocates I am clear they know the consequence of their plotting.

“I have in a reaction on X already indicated that I meant to ignore the false assertion but i have been advised of a more sinister motive of State terror that should not be allowed to go unchallenged. In the plan apparently being instigated by Mr. Onanuga.”