Olawepo-Hashim, Adebayo economic policies contain new ideas deserving of attention, says NLC president

By Ola Taiwo

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has deacribed the economic positions of Accord Party and Social Democratic Party presidential candidates, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim and Adewole Adebayo as worthy of being considered.

He said the economic positions of the two presidential candidates could be given attention  because they considered new ideas which made them different from those of the President Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, and Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.

The NLC leader made the remarks during an interview, at the weekend , with Seun Okinbaloye on Mic On, where he was asked about the economic policy of Atiku Abubakar.

Ajaero, in answering the question dwelt not much on Atiku’s proposal but rather said he had examined the positions of Hashim and Adebayo and found their approach sufficiently different to warrant engagement.

“I have looked at Gbenga Hashim’s position and I think he’s an expert to an extent. I also looked at Adebayo. I may listen to them,” he stated.

He stated that Tinubu, Atiku and Obi in their economic policies were the same saying that the three of them took far right position 

“Peter Obi, Atiku and Asiwaju, they all have the same position and they have shown that they are market people from far right,” he said.

Ajaero said Hashim and Adebayo, by contrast, were bringing “new ideas worthy of engagement.”

The NLC leader’s comments have drawn attention to Hashim’s economic platform, particularly his Energy First agenda, which places affordable energy, increased domestic production, industrialisation and productive capacity at the centre of his proposed economic transformation.

Hashim has proposed a ₦605 per litre starting petrol price, with a longer-term target of ₦200–₦300 through lower production costs, domestic refining, increased crude production and improved efficiency.

He has also pledged to raise Nigeria’s crude production to at least four million barrels per day within 24 months, while expanding domestic refining and energy infrastructure as part of a broader plan to make Nigeria a major global energy power.