Anioma professionals back Utomi for minister

AN interest group, Anioma Media Professionals (AMP), has backed the nomination of Prof. Pat. Okedinachi Utomi as minister by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Utomi, an astute economist, who has been screened by the Department of State Service (DSS), is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Think-Tank that drew the party’s Economic Blueprint and Road Map.

He is a Director of Pan African University in Lekki, Lagos.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of AMP, Ken Ugbechie, said “Utomi is a technocrat and political activist, who has paid his dues in the struggle for the emergence of a better Nigeria.”  He added: “As a member of the APC Thank-Tank, Utomi worked with the likes of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Mr. Wale Edu to produce the economic document for the APC before it won the election in March.

“We believe his being a member of Buhari’s cabinet will give focus and direction in the implementation of the document.”

Ugbechie noted that in choosing his team, Buhari had placed emphasis on merit, loyalty and transparent record of service, which put Utomi in good stead, especially in his critical disposition to mismanagement of public funds by the ruling elite.

He said apart from contesting the 2011 presidential election, Utomi was one of the conveners of the Save Nigeria Group, which moved against the failure of leadership at the federal level before former President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office.

He stressed that Nigeria needs brilliant minds, whose intellectual input in governance would benefit the country, irrespective of religion, gender and ethnic background.

Ugbechie said over-emphasis on ethic balancing and other parochial considerations had denied Nigeria the services of some of its best brains, while charlatans held sway emboldened by ethnic loyalties to the detriment of the country.