PDP primary: Hayatu-Deen’s posters displayed at venue despite pulling out of presidential race

Posters of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential aspirant for the 2023 elections, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, are strategically displayed at the venue of the party’s convention despite annoucing that he had pulled out of the race.

Daily Trust noticed that his posters were displayed strategically at the Moshood Abiola National stadium, venue of the party’s primary election alongside other top aspirants.

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Also displayed are posters of a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar; a former senate president, Bukola Saraki; Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and a former president of the senate, Anyim Pius Anyim.

There are some of Hayatu-Deen displays immediately after entering the stadium from the western side.

There are also two huge posters of his at the entrance of the velodrome where the event is holding.

While others have their teams on the ground, Daily Trust did not notice that of Hayatu-Deen.

Some party supporters, who spoke to our correspondent inside the venue, said the posters were mounted before his withdrawal from the race.

An official of the party who declined mentioning his name said the ex-banker should have asked his supporters to remove the banners.

“It’s not our job to remove it (posters) for him; his team should,” he said.

The ex-banker had earlier in the morning wrote a letter to the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorcha Ayu, informing him of his decision to pull out of the race.

Hayatu-Deen’s decision to quit the race is coming days after a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, quit the presidential race and resigned from the PDP.

Hayatu-Deen was quoted as saying that “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.

“We planned to make Nigeria the continental economic powerhouse which would guarantee high quality of life to the vast majority of our citizens.

“I planned to provide peace by ending insurgency of all types occasioned by the absence of a robust and coherent plan and lack of engagements with those involved and by improving the capacity of our intelligence services, the armed forces, the police and paramilitary services….

“It is because of the foregoing that I found it morally compelling to introduce myself into the political space in order to provide tangible solutions to these problems…

“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 victory of our great party.”