Prof. Pat Utomi, a renowned political economist, has criticised the political elites for creating sedition and division within the polity as the 2023 elections draws near.

Utomi made this remark during a press briefing with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the nation’s 61st Independence Anniversary on Friday.

According to the former Presidential candidate, nation-building requires intentional efforts amongst the various stakeholders.

This thing called nation-building comes with ups and downs. What we must do is, first and foremost as an elite, ask ourselves the question of why this country is more divided today than it has even been

They are not driven by logic and the rule of even those who push the divisions. They are largely driven by emotions and short-sightedness,” he said.

He further slammed divisive utterances capable of stoking tensions among Nigerians by people with ulterior motives.

“So, all decent people of goodwill should do a lot to learn how to talk to strangers and deal with people we do not know. This is the problem.

“People build up stereotypes about others and say all unjustifiable things to strangers and because of this, we have this tension that is tearing our country apart.

“The essence of democracy is rational public conversation,” Utomi added