20213: PDP Presidential Hopeful, Hayatu-deen Withdraws From Race, Says It's Been Monetized

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen

A Presidential hopeful of the Peoples Democratic Party,  PDP, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen has stepped down from the race just hours before the commencement of the party’s primary election.

In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Iyiochia Ayu, which he signed, the economist and former banker said he withdrew from the race on grounds of morality noting that the entire contest has been “obscenely monetized.”

He said, “I joined the contest as a democrat, with an open mind to keenly contest and accept the result of a process that is fair, credible, and transparent. We have endeavored to forge a consensus which would have facilitated a seamless emergence of a candidate which unfortunately could not be achieved”.

Hayatu-Deen further said, “I did not join party politics and to contest for the presidency because of personal gains and inordinate ambition but in order to serve our country.

“It is therefore based on personal principles and with great humility that I have decided after wide consultations to withdraw from this contest which has been obscenely monetized”