Another presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has stepped down from the race.
Hayatu-Deen said he withdrew from the contest because it has been “obscenely monetised”.
His withdrawal from the race became public this Saturday, the very day the opposition party’s presidential election primary is being held in Abuja, to decide its candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
His resignation letter was contained in a letter dated May 27 and addressed to the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayo.
Hayatu-Deen said, “I have been a keen observer of Nigerian politics for so many decades, but have not been opportuned to actively participate in party politics due to my engagements in managing critical public and private institutions, among others.
“I have observed with great concern and sorrow the recent rapid deterioration of all aspects of our national life – characterised by increasing poverty, religious intolerance, banditry and kidnapping, monumental oil theft, corruption, mismanagement of national assets, communal and religious strifes and near collapse of public services and public institutions.
“During my recent nationwide trips, I came face to face with angry and hungry youths, children, boys, and girls abandoned by their states who ought to provide them with education and vocational training. These had become the recruiting grounds of criminals, religious and political extremists.”
Hayatu-Deen, who is a former managing director of the now-defunct FSB International Bank, justifying his decision to join the presidential race, said he had “planned to make Nigeria the continental economic powerhouse”.
According to him, one of his dreams is to end insurgency in the country and also halt the “incessant closure of our universities and other public institutions due to strikes”.
“I wish to reiterate that 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,” he said.
Thanking his supporters and well-wishers for believing in his dreams, he added, “Finally, as a very loyal party member and believer in the democratic process, I will continue to avail myself and my teeming supporters at all times to ensure the victory of our great party.
He is the second presidential aspirant to drop from the race after a former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, recently dumped the party and letter joined the Labour Party.