By Lucky Isibor
A presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Executive Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, has attributed the economic hardship confronting Nigerians to the cluelessness of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration saying that the nation’s economy is now comatose.
The Executive governor of Gombe state who lamented the dwindling economy deplored the inability of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led government to improve Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which slowed in the second quarter of 2018, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
Dankwambo while soliciting for the party’s endorsement and support as its presidential flag bearer, spoke to PDP delegates and leaders from the 18 local government councils of Edo state on Wednesday in Benin city.
He said the decline in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) amidst the insecurity and unemployment rate is alarming, and an indication that the government has failed to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.
Dankwambo said the state of the nation has remained comatose since the inception of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) after almost over three years in power.
Expressing dismay at the way the country has witnessed backwardness in the past three years of the present administration, Dankwambo said, “From the day they came on board, nothing has changed in the country. From the economy to security and job creation, In all the numbers you see released from day to day, Nigeria is going backward. Just two days ago, we were told that the GDP also dropped by 1.5 per cent.
“Like they say, a simple measure is if you check the standard or condition of your life in 2014 and 2015 and compare today, I do not know if there is any indicator that will show you whether it has improved or not.”
“From the training that we have received, we can provide leadership and you will see what we will produce within a short period of time. “
“Nigeria needed a President who could harness the nation’s resources and improve the lives of its citizens.
“What is required is a man that can harness all these kinds of resources immediately, with all the energy that is required to implement them and ensure that the quality of life of Nigerians is improved immediately. That is what we are talking about.
“From 2005 to 2010, I have participated in so many kinds of economic management programmes that have rescued or had provided succour to this country. I know how to do it (manage the economy); I have been part of what has been done and if given the opportunity, I would do it”.
While lending his support for restructuring, he said that every section of Nigeria must not feel marginalised, if the country must experience rapid development.
“No matter what you do about the economy, if a somebody from Edo State feels that they did not belong to this entity called Nigeria or has a doubt that somebody will not be fair to him, no matter how hard they have worked, then there will be a problem.
“We are bringing a government that will give Nigerians equal opportunity to excel in any position that they desire.”
He urged the delegates to work towards giving Nigerians the best alternative by carefully assessing all the aspirants seeking their support to get the party’s presidential ticket.
“For the alternative to be very good, we have to sit down and think. We should not be doing what we were doing before. We should sit down and have a criterion for identifying the kind of person that we will present or would be a good alternative.”
The National Bureau of Statistics on Monday released the Gross Domestic Product growth rate for the second quarter of this year, with the economy recording a decline in performance from 1.95 percent in the first quarter to 1.5 percent.
