Borno: Renowned economist, Hayatudeen revalidates PDP membership card in Borno

By Sadiq Abubakar Maiduguri

The former Managing Director of FSB International PLC who is also a renowned Economist of international repute, Alhaji Mohammed Hayatudeen has finally revalidated his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership on Sunday in his ward of Jere LGC of Borno State.

Hayatudeen picked his renewed PDP membership card No. 133 at Gudda Khaddamari Ward of Jere LGC of Borno State from the PDP Ward Chairman, Ibrahim Coach and PDP Jere LGC Chairman, Modu Borehole who conducted the registration exercise under the watch of the State and National PDP Stakeholders from Borno.

In his remark after revalidating his membership card, Hayatudeen said he was revalidating his membership in order to contribute his quota towards national development, security and stability of the economy as well as revive the nation’s economy by advising leaders in government on how economically the leaders could put smiles on the faces of the downtrodden at the grassroots most especially.

He also noted that with the present economic decay and abject poverty looming in Nigeria, economic experts like him need to come closer to the people and political leaders for counseling and guidance on the best way to improve the situation.

Hayatudeen, however, asserted that with the forthcoming general election, “it is regrettable that abject poverty is biting hard on the citizens of this country due to lack of proper planning and focus as well as commitment and determination of those in the corridors of power at all the levels of leadership.”

He further reiterated the need for a change in the leadership of the country by way of carrying all and sundry on board and addressing the teething problems of the Nigerian masses which surround insecurity, abject poverty, unemployment, dilapidated educational facilities and amenities and poor healthcare delivery service.

Others include poor road networks, high cost of living, transportation cost, high cost of feeding or food items in the open market, poor electricity service, corruption and poor management of our endowed human and material resources aming others.

The National PDP Stakeholder also noted that the signs of decay have been looming on the horizon for quite sometime. “But over the last 13 years, the economy and our society have literally been in free fall as we have been witnesses to the sharp and rabid unraveling of our way of life, our dignity and self worth as a people and our time honored institutions.”

“Despite the abundant blessings bestowed on this beautiful land by Almighty God, something as basic as putting bread and butter on the table is a daily struggle for the majority of Nigerian families. For a great number of our fellow citizens, getting clothed and having a roof over their heads is a utopian dream.

“And collectively, for all of us as citizens , we can no longer feel safe or secure in our homes , streets or highways. It is common knowledge that having unfettered access to basic social amenities such as portable water, good sanitary conditions, stable and reliable electricity , good motorable roads, decent and affordable public transportation systems, quality education and healthcare, social safety nets to protect the weak and the downtrodden.

“All of which have been taken for granted for centuries in other climes, have so far eluded the Nigerian people. In short, for the greater number of our fellow citizens life is “ nasty, brutish and short “ as Thomas Hobbes put it crisply.

“Our sacred national anthem which is the glue that binds us as one nation is observed more in the breach than in practice as we see the foundations of our union come under severe stresses and strains.

“But by far, the most perplexing and egregious issue of the moment is the carnage being unleashed on citizens by connoisseurs of violence and terror all over our peace loving and God fearing communities.

“Not by the wildest stretch of the imagination did I ever conceive of the nation being bathed by such blood bath of innocent men, women and children in tandem with the displacement of entire communities.

“I can directly relate to the pains, anguish and trauma experienced everyday by victims of kidnapping, banditry and terror because I have my own story to tell.

“As an economist and a fiscal conservative, my heart bleeds when I see the signposts of what would have otherwise been a dynamic, innovative and globally competitive country being viscerated by chronically inefficient allocation of resources and mismanagement.

“Ordinarily given the rich endowments of this blessed nation, we should be running an economy that should function, and function at its peak by generating superlative levels of economic output and high levels of economic growth in the range of 10 -15% per annum sustained over a decade and more.

“But the reality today is very different as industrial graveyards litter our national landscape, resulting in sharp contraction in output accompanied by unusually high levels of underemployment and unemployment.

“Consequently the government ( which should be small and an enabler of business ) is ballooning while businesses (large, medium and small) are shrinking.

“No wonder, then, that the vast sections of this country have been torched up by bandits and terrorists who as a hell bent on extracting more than their fair share through the back door what they believe should legitimately accrue to them through the front door based on their expectations of dividends of democracy.

” I have thought long and hard about the calamity that has befallen our dear country and identified many factors that are responsible for this grim state of affairs.

“One of them is the glaring absence of citizens action and participation in the political affairs of the nation. Many of us are simply complacent and just happy to go about seeking our daily bread and not bothering to take an active,” Hayatudeen said.

The PDP State Chairman , Zanna Mustapha Gaddama urged party members and supporters to come out enmasse for the revalidation exercise and vote candidates of their choice in the 2023 general election.

He also criticized the APC’s poor performance and failure in fulfilling their electioneering campaign promises to Nigerians while assuring open door policy for all and fair level ground for all candidates at all levels of elections in the state and called in aggrieved bed members to return to the party to collectively carry the vision and mission of the party to greater heights in the next elections.

The 2019 PDP Gubernatorial Candidate and State Leader, Hon. Mohammed Alkali Imam solicited for unity and teamwork urging all ranks and files of the party including those aggrieved that left the party to return and clinch power in the state and national level, stressing , the need for change of power at Government House and Presidential Vila for the best not for the worst in prayers.

Former PDP State Chairman, BOSHA Minority Leader an present National PDP Stakeholder, Hon. Kolo Bukar commended the returnee PDP National Stakeholder for his decision to return home and join them to make a change in the leadership structure and struggle of the party to carry it to grater heights.