I’m not in presidential race to negotiate for ministerial post – Hayatu-Deen

Ex-banker and frontline presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has said he is not in the race for the party’s ticket to negotiate for ministerial appointment. He said he was contesting for the presidency of Nigeria to provide real solutions to the problems confronting the country. At an interactive session with […]

Ex-banker and frontline presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has said he is not in the race for the party’s ticket to negotiate for ministerial appointment.

He said he was contesting for the presidency of Nigeria to provide real solutions to the problems confronting the country.

At an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos yesterday, the PDP presidential hopeful said most of the problems facing Nigeria were economic in nature, reiterating his resolve to tackle the challenges headlong if elected.

Hayatu-Deen, a former managing director of the now defunct FSB International Bank, said Nigeria needed a president who understood how to run an economy.

He said, “Much of the crisis that we face in this country today is largely on account of a broken economy that has been left unattended to for many years. So when people have social problems, national security problems, at the root of it is actually an economic problem.”

He further said, “I’m not doing this for any ministerial position. I had been offered such in 1999 under Obasanjo. I rejected it. I’m in the race to win and not for any ministerial appointment. I have confidence that I am going to win this race. I see myself as a Nigerian and I’ve been exposed to Nigeria at a young age. I am doing this because if I fail to come out and contest, I would be asked, what did you do when things were going this bad?

“As we approach these dying hours or days, you have a major responsibility to sensitise the Nigerian people, most especially the delegates in both parties, to bring into their own sensibilities to ensure they pick the right candidates.

“You have to do this for us and ensure that Nigeria is rescued. My aim is to help my nation. No one would accuse me of being a bystander who didn’t join in trying to salvage the nation when it was burning.”