A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Professor Pat Utomi, has dismissed attacks from social media users he accused of being paid supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, saying engaging them would be an insult to his integrity.
Utomi made the remarks in a post on X on Sunday, following criticism he received after raising concerns about the welfare of Nigerian soldiers.
The economist said he had earlier highlighted the poor living and working conditions of soldiers, comparing their situation with that of their counterparts in the United States. He also criticised what he described as the lavish earnings of senators while soldiers who risk their lives for the country remain underpaid.
“Yesterday, we talked about the poor living and working conditions of Nigerian soldiers compared to their counterparts in the US, and how senators are fattening their pockets with billions of naira while the soldiers who risk their lives every day to protect us are underpaid heavily,” Utomi wrote.
According to him, some social media users began attacking him after the post, prompting him to review their profiles. He alleged that the accounts were linked to APC supporters who were being paid to troll critics of the ruling party.
“Then, some fellows benefiting from stomach infrastructure began to bash us. I took a quick look at their profiles, and it became obvious to me that they were APC data boys trolling anyone who dared to speak up,” he said.
Utomi said he would not respond to the accounts, adding that doing so would compromise his integrity.
“Engaging with any of them is an insult to my integrity,” he stated.
In a separate post, the NDC chieftain accused APC politicians of attempting to intimidate Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections. He urged citizens not to allow fear to prevent them from participating in the electoral process.
“We have seen videos of APC politicians trying to intimidate Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections,” he wrote.
Utomi called on Nigerians to remain united and resist attempts to discourage them from voting. He said political actors would have little influence if citizens stood together and defended democratic rights.
“Nigerians need to understand that these fellows are powerless when we stand united. Do not allow them to sow seeds of fear in you,” he said.
The professor also urged voters to come out in large numbers during the election, cast their ballots and protect the integrity of their votes.
“Come out, vote, and defend your votes,” Utomi added.
His comments came amid rising political tension ahead of the 2027 general election, with opposition figures repeatedly accusing the ruling party of using social media influencers and intimidation tactics to silence critics.