Hayatu-Deen slams economic team, calls for urgent policy reset

The African Democratic Congress 2027 presidential aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has criticised the current economic management of the country, calling for an urgent policy reset to address the deepening hardship faced by Nigerians.

The renowned economist who stated this during a media chat with journalists in Abuja on Thursday warned that existing strategies are failing to deliver relief, as rising poverty and inflation continue to erode citizens’ standard of living.

He further lamented that many Nigerians are now struggling to survive under worsening socio-economic conditions, stressing that the situation reflects a disconnect between leadership decisions and the realities on the ground.

Hayatu-Deen stated, “Nigeria stands at a crossroads. And at such moments, nations do not drift; they move forward with momentum. They choose either the noble path of renewal or the easy slide into decline.
For too long, we have made the wrong choices, tolerated weak systems, and watched as the gap between our potential and our reality has widened.

“Today, that gap is no longer abstract; it is felt in the rising cost of living, in the insecurity that threatens lives and livelihoods, and in the growing sense of uncertainty about the future.
Every day, the signs around us suggest that we are drifting too close to that decline. The country that we love continues to pile pressure on everyday Nigerians, while the promise of a better life increasingly feels out of reach.

“Food prices continue to rise. Petrol prices continue to climb. For millions of families, the simple act of getting through the day has become a test of endurance rather than a pursuit of opportunity. Every day, Nigerians are not only burdened economically, but they are also increasingly unsafe and insecure. In too many parts of our country, communities live under the shadow of fear, uncertain of what tomorrow may bring.”

The presidential aspirant decried a situation where citizens are sometimes forced to shoulder the burden of insecurity themselves, resorting to paying ransoms to ensure their safety.

He described this as a troubling reality that reflects a deeper failure in protection and leadership.

Hayatu-Deen continued, “Nigerians are poorer and less secure than they were three years ago. Because, on the face of it, while macroeconomic reforms were needed, these should have been carefully sequenced in a systematic and orderly manner to mitigate the devastating side effects which the nation has and continues to experience.

“Consequently, this has engendered a broader loss of confidence in the economic stewardship of the country.
This is not the Nigeria that we were promised. And it is definitely not the Nigeria that we deserve. And it must not be the Nigeria that we accept. That is why I have joined other leaders in the ADC to fix the problems that have been allowed to get progressively worse.

“We need to take a new course. A course that is anchored on clarity, discipline, and leadership that puts Nigerians first and restores confidence in our future.

“In every organisation that I have led, I have been guided by a simple principle: leave it better than you met it. That is the standard to which I hold myself, and it is these same exacting standards I will bring to the leadership of our country.”

The ADC presidential aspirant said Nigerians are weary of recycled politics marked by loud promises, quiet failures, and leaders distracted by factional interests instead of delivering results.

He continued, “What this season in our national consciousness demands is practical solutions and results. Nigerians want a leader who is serious about tackling insecurity, creating new jobs, and reforming institutions in a way that positively impacts their lives.

“Nigerians want leadership that can bring people together across the length and breadth of this country, regardless of geography, beliefs, and tribe, to pursue a shared national purpose.”

He said Nigerian leadership must reflect the realities of ordinary citizens, not elite comfort, adding that effective governance begins with understanding and addressing the daily struggles of millions living in poverty.

Hayatu-Deen continued, “I am going to be an empathetic leader who, at all times, measures the pulse of the majority. Secondly, to create an egalitarian society in which all the needs and wants of society are properly reconciled.”

On April 12, Hayatu-Deen officially left the Peoples Democratic Party and joined the African Democratic Congress, citing worsening insecurity, rising living costs, and what he described as shrinking democratic space in Nigeria.

Also, on April 21, he announced his intention to contest for the ADC presidential ticket.

Before his declaration in the coalition party, the ADC already had former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, who had all declared their intentions to run for the presidency.