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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Gbenga Hashim, has said Nigeria can regain its economic strength if the country is guided by responsible and visionary leadership.
Hashim, presidential aspirant, stated this, while receiving PDP chairmen in the 62 wards in the six area councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and members of the State Working Committee (SWC), who were on a “thank you visit” to him.
The delegation led by the Chairman, Alhaji Ismail Mohammed Dogara, reaffirmed their support for Hashim’s political vision and pledged to intensify grassroots mobilisation within the PDP.
They appreciated the presidential hopeful for his consistent engagement with party members and implored him to continue to be involved in efforts to strengthen the party ahead of future elections.
Hashim, while addressing the delegation, stated that the country is endowed with the resources and human capital needed to rebuild its economy. He stated that Nigeria’s present challenges could be reversed with sound policies and purposeful leadership.
According to him, Nigeria once enjoyed a strong and vibrant economy driven by transparency, discipline and productive policies, adding that earlier generations of leaders laid foundations that allowed the country to compete favourably with other emerging economies.
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He recalled that in 1966 Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) doubled Malaysia’s and was bigger than Indonesia’s while Nigeria’s Per Capital Income tripled that of China in 1976.
Hashim also cited the industrial growth of the North and other regions during the First Republic as an example of what visionary leadership could achieve, noting that policies introduced under the late Northern Premier, Ahmadu Bello, transformed Kaduna into a thriving textile hub that provided employment for thousands of workers.
He insisted that Nigeria still has the capacity to rebuild its industrial base, revive manufacturing and create large-scale employment for its growing population. “Poverty, disease, ignorance and unemployment are not normal conditions for Nigeria because this country has prospered before.”
He expressed optimism that ongoing reconciliation efforts within the Peoples Democratic Party would restore unity among members, stating that “we will unite the PDP; all the factions have agreed to work together.”
Dogara, commended Hashim for maintaining close contact with party members across the different levels.
He described the former Presidential Candidate as a pan-Nigerian leader who regularly engages grassroots stakeholders and carries them along in his political activities.
“Other presidential candidates hardly sit down with Ward Chairmen. You can see how Dr Hashim has humbled himself to engage with us at the grassroots,” he said.
