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The Federal High Court sit­ting in Abuja, on Monday, declared as illegal, unlaw­ful and unconstitutional, the plan by a former presi­dential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, to establish a shad­ow government in Nigeria.

Consequently, the pre­siding Judge, James Omo­tosho, made an order re­straining Utomi and his associates from proceeding with their plan to establish a shadow government/cab­inet in the country.

Justice James Omoto­sho, in the judgment, up­held the arguments of the Department of State Ser­vices (DSS) that Utomi’s action portends danger to the peace and security of Nigeria.

The presiding judge said he had perused the coun­try’s constitution and there was no part that supports the formation of a shadow or parallel government.

Citing Section 1(1) and (2) of the 1999 constitution, the judge said the constitu­tion is supreme and bind­ing on all citizens irrespec­tive of political divides.

“The Nigerian consti­tution makes no room for shadow government.

“Therefore, any partici­pation in any government which is unknown to law will be struck down by this court.

“I hereby declare the for­mation as void,” the judge ruled.

The court commended the plaintiff for filing the suit and held among others, that it was within the right of the DSS to take steps to prevent acts capable of threatening the nation’s internal security.