By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Presidential Candidate of the Social Democratic Mega Party, SDMP,  Prof Pat Utomi,  Wednesday,  formally bowed out of the 2011 presidential race, endorsing Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of the All Nigerian Peoples Party ANPP.

In a message titled: “Walking My Talk : A Cry For My Beloved Country’’ Utomi said that “those who could have voted for him should transfer the votes to Shekarau’’.

It will be recalled that Utomi’s withdrawal came a day after he was praised by Nigerians for his brilliant performance at the Presidential debate held  Tuesday evening.

*Prof Utomi

Utomi told his supporters and the Media that “he would be sending a letter to INEC later in the day, withdrawing from the race.

“I will be committing myself now to constitutional reforms and to building a new Nigeria.

“A month ago, I suggested I was rethinking how the spirit of service for the good of all could be deployed outside of partisan politics.

“Now in full view of the 2011 election campaign as failing to being our competing ideas for governance, I decided I would make a statement on my continuing participation in the process.

“As the 2011 elections cycle rolled around about a year and half ago, the last thought on my mind was to be a candidate for any office’’ he said.

The SDMP presidential candidate said that he was persuaded that offering a clear vision of a new Nigeria would at the least result in having leaders committed to serving the people sacrificially.

“I was convinced, that would move Nigeria away from the column of paradise deferred to new possibilities.

“When I met Late Chief Anthony Enahoro,  I had been briefed about a movement to bring together the progressive opposition to form a united front to bring change about.

“The ideas began to circulate to bring the progressives together under one platform which was narrowed to SDMP, A.C.N, CPC and ANPP’’ he said.

Utomi pointed out that he entered the process with one goal of producing a formidable opposition which has not worked,  hence his decision to quit.

“What was important was focus to have one single ticket and I was willing to step down to achieve that’’ he stressed.

Utomi said that “To pretend that there will be change  in Nigerian democracy is deceit’’.

“How can we pretend that we have a democracy. This is not a democracy’’ he said.

He however said that one of the challenges to have a democracy is campaign finance reforms.

“Our country is not working and yet we can’t replace those who are failing the country.

“It is interesting that we use what Gowon did in 1966, bringing Nigeria’s best into one serious government.

“This will provide us a foundation to finding lasting democracy’’. He said.

Utomi said that there was also need to re-invent Nigeria Civil service adding that the quality of service we have today is nothing o write home about.

He added that to accomplish all the goals of  the desired democracy, Nigeria needs a citizen’s democracy.