Pat Utomi joins ACN

 

Pat Utomi

A renowned professor of political economy and management, Pat Utomi, has joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Utomi, who contested the 2007 presidential election on the platform of African Democratic Party (ADP), announced his defection in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Sunday night.

He said: “It has been pointed out to me that many Nigerians who have supported the work I have done in politics and community service are unaware of the fact that I’m now a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).”

He further added that, “I have been a member for more than a year.”

He said he joined join the ACN, “because the progressive opposition in Nigeria has been unable to bring itself under one umbrella though many, myself included, have tried to bring this about by encouraging the subsuming of ego for the common progressive good.”

“This has proven very difficult and progressives cannot afford to dissipate their energies in various small armies while the enemies of the progressive struggle are disciplined enough to coalesce under the conservative/retrogressive Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“I would therefore encourage all opposition parties to join the ACN.

As far as I’m concerned, Nigeria should run a PDP-ACN political party structure.” Utomi, was a presidential adviser in the Second Republic’s government of Shehu Shagari and has been an active voice in the polity, calling for improved welfare for the people.