Audu Bulama Bukarti, a human rights activist and governance expert, has clarified that the concept of a shadow government does not violate the Nigerian constitution or any existing laws.
Speaking during an interview with BBC Hausa, Bukarti, a former Senior Fellow at the Extremism Policy Unit of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, explained that the system is a lawful mechanism for influencing governance.
“The constitution does not need to explicitly provide for a shadow government system for citizens to implement it,” Bukarti stated. He added that the concept allows citizens to monitor and influence government policies to address governance challenges. “In this context, it does not conflict with the law,” he said.
Bukarti also cautioned against misuse of the concept. “What the law prohibits is an individual falsely claiming to be the governor without having won an election. The only scenario where such a system would be prohibited is under a dictatorship,” he noted.
His remarks followed heightened political activity in Kano State, where the Patriotic Volunteers, a group within the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), announced plans to form a shadow government.
The group’s National President and former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Usman Alhaji, stated at a press conference in Kano that the initiative aims to hold Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration accountable.
“Our plan is to establish a shadow government apparatus that will effectively monitor the activities of the current Kano State government. The people of Kano deserve to be informed about the alleged failures of Abba Yusuf’s administration,” Alhaji said.
The proposal has drawn criticism from the Kano State government. In a statement, the Kano State Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Abdullahi Wayya, argued that forming a shadow government outside the law is unconstitutional.
“Democracy does not permit anyone to lose their sense of judgment simply because they have lost relevance within their party’s political structure,” Wayya stated. He added that Nigeria’s presidential system does not accommodate shadow governments as practiced in parliamentary systems like the United Kingdom.
“Forming a government within a government is entirely illegal and unconstitutional. While opposition parties in a parliamentary system may appoint shadow ministers to scrutinize the ruling government, Nigeria operates a presidential system that neither recognizes nor supports such a structure,” Wayya said.
