Political economist and public intellectual, Professor Pat Utomi, has urged Nigerians not to expect any individual politician to single-handedly solve the country’s challenges.
Utomi made the remarks during an appearance on Arise News on Tuesday, where he also discussed the possibility of opposition parties working together ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the professor, opposition parties do not necessarily need to merge into a single political party to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He argued that any opposition party could potentially challenge the incumbent if an election is properly conducted, but maintained that cooperation around shared principles could strengthen their efforts.
Utomi said political actors should focus less on the pursuit of power and more on developing a framework centred on the common good.
He criticised what he described as Nigeria’s recurring focus on political power without a clearly defined national purpose, arguing that changing political leaders without changing the underlying system could produce similar outcomes.
The professor also rejected the idea that a single politician could emerge as a “messiah” capable of rescuing Nigeria, describing such expectations as a “messiah complex.”
According to Utomi, Nigerians need to collectively agree on the kind of country they want and establish principles that should guide whoever eventually assumes political power.
He maintained that the collective will of citizens should play a central role in determining Nigeria’s political direction.
Utomi further argued that opposition groups could have greater impact if they agreed on fundamental principles and worked collectively, regardless of which individual candidate eventually emerged.
His comments come amid ongoing political realignments and discussions among opposition groups ahead of the 2027 general elections.