A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Adeboro Adamson, has supported the Department of State Services (DSS) for taking legal action against the controversial shadow government announced by former presidential candidate Professor Pat Utomi.
Adamson, who spoke during an interview on Arise TV on Sunday night, commended the DSS for remaining within its constitutional limits, describing its approach as “civilised” and in line with its legal mandate.
“The DSS has a mandate, which includes the detection and prevention of subversion, terrorism, and espionage, among others. If one of the mandates of the DSS is to prevent subversion, how do we situate the statement of the erudite professor that he has assembled people who will man what he tagged a shadow cabinet?” the senior lawyer explained.
Utomi, a political economy professor and prominent figure in opposition circles, recently announced the Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government, which he described as a “national emergency response” effort.
According to him, the move is intended to assess the existing administration’s performance, uncover governance gaps, and give alternative policy alternatives in important sectors.
But the initiative has elicited significant reactions from both political leaders and legal experts.
The DSS, viewing the action as a potential threat to national stability, filed a judicial challenge, contesting the constitutionality of such a parallel governing structure.
Adamson supported the agency’s decision, stating that it was not only within its scope but also preferable to a criminal crackdown.
“Some might ask why the DSS chose a civil suit over a criminal one. My answer is that the DSS has chosen to submit to the courts to determine if the actions and utterances of the revered professor can be situated within the confines of the Constitution,” Adamson said.
He added, “This is a civilised way of doing things.”
Speaking at the launch of the shadow government, Utomi said, “This is not an attempt to overthrow the government. It is a national emergency response. We will observe, critique and offer alternatives in education, health, security, and governance.”
The DSS has yet to comment publicly on the court proceedings, but insiders within the agency believe the project poses a threat to constitutional order and public stability.
