Nigerians Suffering More Than Abacha Era – Pat Utomi

Utomi made the remarks during an interview on Nigeria Info 99.3FM, where he discussed the country’s socio-economic challenges and reacted to concerns recently expressed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) regarding the state of the nation.

Criticising the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Utomi maintained that the living conditions of many Nigerians have deteriorated significantly. He also attributed part of the country’s current difficulties to what he described as shortcomings in the transition from military to civilian rule in 1998.

He asserted that Nigeria’s present circumstances are worse than those experienced under the Abacha administration, insisting there was no doubt about his assessment.

Utomi further stated that the concerns voiced by Catholic leaders mirror the frustrations of many Nigerians, noting that the Catholic Church follows an established consultative process before taking official positions on national matters.

He explained that various bodies within the Church, including the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), deliberate on public issues before recommendations are considered by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria.

According to Utomi, the address delivered by Cardinal John Onaiyekan to President Tinubu reflected the collective position of the bishops, although individual members may still hold personal views on national issues.