The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has urged Nigerians to pay closer attention to the economic policy proposals of the Accord Party and Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidates, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim and Adewole Adebayo, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Ajaero made the remarks during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Mic On at the weekend while responding to a question on the economic policy proposals of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
Rather than focusing on Atiku’s proposals, the NLC president said he had examined the economic positions of Hashim and Adebayo, describing their approaches as sufficiently different to merit public 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,” Ajaero said.
He contrasted the positions of the two candidates with those of Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he said had broadly similar economic approaches.
“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.
According to Ajaero, Hashim and Adebayo were instead presenting what he described as “new ideas worthy of engagement”.
His comments have renewed attention on Hashim’s economic proposals, particularly his Energy First agenda, which places affordable energy, increased domestic production, industrialisation and expansion of productive capacity at the centre of his proposed economic strategy.
Hashim has proposed a starting petrol price of N605 per litre, with a longer-term target of between N200 and N300 per litre through lower production costs, increased domestic refining, higher crude oil output and improved efficiency.
He has also proposed increasing Nigeria’s crude oil production to at least four million barrels per day within 24 months, alongside expansion of domestic refining capacity and energy infrastructure.
The proposals form part of Hashim’s broader economic plan to position Nigeria as a major global energy producer while using lower energy costs and increased domestic production to support industrial growth and job creation.
With the 2027 presidential election approaching, economic policy is expected to remain a major issue as political parties and candidates present competing approaches to tackling inflation, energy costs, unemployment, production and economic growth.
