The State Security Service (SSS), also known as Department of State Services (DSS), is not interested in arresting anyone over the shadow government being proposed by a group led by the 2007 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prof. Pat Utomi, the agency’s lead counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), has said.

The senior lawyer made the declaration on Wednesday shortly after filing a fresh application before the Federal High Court in Abuja for an interlocutory injunction restraining Prof. Utomi from further commenting publicly or engaging in rallies in relation to the subject of a suit pending against him over his announced plan to establish a shadow government in the country.

Mr Kehinde, who spoke with journalists, said: “Our client is not interested in arresting anybody on this matter, having on its own accord submitted itself to the jurisdiction of the honourable court to interpret the Constitution and determine the legality or otherwise of the ‘shadow government’ or any other nomenclature that it may be so named.

“It must be pointed out that our client, under its current leadership, is a very civilized organization with absolute confidence in the rule of law and that is why its leadership or any of its personnel will always approach the court of law whenever it feels that there is any infraction on its statutory duties by anyone or the rights of its personnel like the case instituted against SERAP by some of its personnel, is being compromised. Let the court have the final say.

“Gentlemen, we must all ensure that constitutional democracy and the rule of law have its way in Nigeria.

“It is good that as members of the fourth estate of the realm, you keep watch over the case filed against the formation of the ‘Shadow Government’ by Prof. Pat Utomi and his group.

“The civil suit, as you are aware, was filed by the State Security Service (SSS) in consonance with its statutory mandate of ensuring internal peace and avoidance of any form of insurrection and treasonable felony against the democratically elected government in the country.

“We, as counsel to the SSS, have just filed an application seeking an interlocutory injunction against the defendant and his group pending the determination of the substantive suit.

“The application, being a public document, can be obtained from the registry of the Honourable court.

He continued: “The application is premised on the fact that despite the pendency of the substantive action, the service of same on the defendant and the entry of appearance to same by his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the defendant has continued to make inflammatory statements capable of igniting chaos in the country instead of abiding by the hallowed principle that civilized parties before the court are expected to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive matter.

“What our client has submitted to the court is for the interpretation of the Constitution, whether any form of government by whatever nomenclature can be formed or allowed outside the Constitution”.

The new application seeks mainly, “an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendant/respondent (Utomi), his agents, privies, associates, servants, workers or any person acting through him from staging road shows, rallies, public lectures or any form of public gathering, newspaper publications, television programs, jingles or any other public enlightenment programme(s) aimed at sensitizing, instigating, propagating or in any way promoting the purported “shadow government/shadow cabinet” or its objectives or goals with the view to establishing the said “shadow government” pending the hearing and determination of this substantive suit.”

The grounds for the application include that, if not restrained, Prof. Utomi’s proposed rallies, road shows and actions “constitute a serious threat to the public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ”

The SSS added that as the agency statutorily empowered to safeguard the internal security of the country and prevent any threats to the lawful authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its constituent institutions, it was incumbent on it to forestall any threat to public order, safety and national unity.

It stated that before it filed the substantive suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, Prof. Utomi had, through public statements, social media and other platforms engaged in statements and actions aimed at undermining the outcome of the case now pending before the court, and which he is aware of.

The SSS said it gathered through monitoring and intelligence reports that Prof. Utomi, who is currently out of the country and is due to return on June 6, plans “to stage road shows and rallies under the guise of freedom of speech and association in a bid to cause public discontent in furtherance of his establishment of the purported ‘shadow government/shadow cabinet.’

Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has said that some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might still defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dr Saraki, who is the Chairman of the PDP Reconciliation Committee, also also expressed confidence that politicians from other political parties might join the PDP.

The former Kwara State governor spoke with reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, shortly after re-registering as a PDP member.

“The only viable opposition party is PDP, and yes, there are challenges, and I have taken it upon myself to do my best. I am seeing responses from our colleagues who are also ready to settle our differences.

“We were able to do our NEC meeting; we have scheduled a meeting for the end of this month. Between now and then, there will be a lot of legwork.

“Luckily for us, we started early; we have two years more. We have time to know those that will stay and rebuild the party. Some might still go, and some might still join us.

“Like today, I received new members to the party at the state level. Once there is stability at the top, I’m sure we will begin to see a better future for PDP.

“And I thank Nigerians for being patient with the leaders of the party.

“I want to use this opportunity to reassure our members across the country that we are doing our best to rescue the situation of the party. We are confident that we will tackle the situation. We are committed to it.

“Because we are all committed to a fledgling democracy, and a fledgling democracy means a vibrant opposition. We all have to make personal and group sacrifices for the interest of the country”, he said.

On the ability of the party to stage a comeback in Kwara State come 2027, Dr Saraki said: “We are even more encouraged by the level of enthusiasm that we are getting. People are coming out to register for the party; people are tired of the state of affairs in the state. New members are coming out to join the party.

“At the same time, all our old members are very active. The members we have seen are very impressive.

“I think the factors of what people are going through in the state, the insecurity, unemployment, hunger, and lack of the presence of governance… So we are confident that the PDP will bounce back in 2027.

“People are coming out to be associated with PDP; they are ready to let people know that they’re PDP members.

“That also tells us, at the grassroots, that people are still in love with our party. Of course, we are having our challenges at the national level. We are confident now that once we can sort ourselves out at the top or the leadership at the grassroots, everything will fall into place.”

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has reacted to the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld his victory in the November 16, 2024, governorship election.
The Tide’s source reports that the tribunal on Wednesday affirmed Governor Aiyedatiwa’s election and dismissed the petitions filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr Agboola Ajayi.
The three-member panel headed by Justice Benson Ogbu dismissed the petitions for lacking in merit.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, who spoke to journalists after the judgment, said that some political parties thought they could steal his mandate through the back door.
“Some political parties thought that they could steal the mandate through the back door, but today, the judiciary has confirmed the decision of the majority of indigenes and residents of Ondo State.
“So, I am delighted and happy; I, myself, my deputy and the chairman of our party are happy, we are grateful to God,” he said.
Therefore, the governor extended the hand of fellowship to the opposition in the State, stating that their ideas would contribute to the state’s development.
The Tide’s source also gathered that the tribunal dismissed the petitions of the Action Alliance (AA) and its candidate, Mr Abdullahi Olowokere, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Chief Bamidele Akingboye.
Others are the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and its candidate, Kolawole Ogunfeyimi, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its candidate, Mr Adeyemi Nejo.