Professor of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming Nigeria is in a worse state today than it was during the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha.

Speaking on Nigeria Info 99.3FM, Utomi said the concerns recently raised by the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria reflect the growing frustration felt by many Nigerians over the country’s direction.

He explained that the Catholic Church adopts a structured approach in developing its positions on national issues, noting that bodies such as the Justice, Development and Peace Commission contribute to deliberations before resolutions are presented at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).

“The bishops met before their visit to the President. The address delivered by Cardinal John Onaiyekan reflects the collective position of the bishops, even though individual members may still have personal views,” Utomi said.

Drawing a comparison with Nigeria’s military past, Utomi argued that the country’s current condition is worse than it was under Abacha, attributing part of the nation’s challenges to what he described as the shortcomings of the 1998 transition from military rule to democratic governance.

“I think we’re in a worse condition than under Abacha. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.