The Department of State Services (DSS) has taken former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi, to the Federal High Court in Abuja for setting up what he called a shadow government. The DSS says Utomi’s move is an attempt to take over powers meant for President Bola Tinubu.
The case, filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, accuses Utomi of creating a parallel leadership structure that could disrupt the country’s stability. According to the DSS, this move goes against the Constitution and could lead to confusion and political tension.
Utomi, who ran for president under the African Democratic Congress in 2007, is said to have formed a group that mirrors a full government cabinet. The DSS believes that if allowed to continue, this setup could encourage others to create similar groups and threaten the peace of the nation. The agency added that the shadow cabinet could mislead people, shake public trust in the current government, and create division among citizens.
The court was asked to declare Utomi’s proposed government body illegal and not backed by the Constitution. The DSS wants an order that would permanently stop Utomi and anyone working with him from continuing with the shadow government plan or anything similar.
Through its legal team led by Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, the DSS told the court that sections 1(1), 1(2), and 14(2a) of the 1999 Constitution clearly state that only legally elected and recognised structures can govern the country. It stressed that the Constitution gives power to the people and any move to create another form of authority is against the law.
The DSS also stated in an affidavit that it is its duty to detect and prevent activities that could harm national peace or go against constitutional rule. It claims to have gathered enough intelligence to prove that Utomi’s plan could lead to public unrest.
According to the DSS, Utomi has publicly shared details of his shadow government, including a list of people assigned to roles such as Ombudsman, policy team members, and economic advisers. It warned that this could confuse the public and harm national unity.
Although efforts were made to talk Utomi out of the idea, including public warnings from government officials, the DSS says he refused to back down. For this reason, the agency is asking the court to declare his actions unlawful and stop him from continuing.
As of now, no date has been set for the court to hear the case.
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