Hayatu-deen: I’ll Bring About Radical, Transformational Changes to Nigeria

Adedayo Akinwale, Kingsley Nweseh in Abuja and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos

An economist and technocrat, Mr. Mohammed Hayatu-deen has said the reason he decided to join the 2023 presidential race was to bring about radical and transformational changes to the country.

Hayatu-deen said this yesterday, while featuring on ‘The Morning Show’ on Arise News Channel.
He had declared his intention to vie for presidency under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos, on Wednesday.

According to him, “the task of seeking the exalted office of the president of Nigeria is a serious business. It requires very deep and profound thinking and over the last six months, I have been giving considerable thought as to how to offer my services to this country.

“Secondly, I have been gauging the political and social temperature in the country and clearly came to a decision that the best way which I can offer to the nation is to offer my services to bring about radical and transformational changes in the country.”

Asked about his health status, Hayatu-deen said he had never had challenge with his physical fitness, adding that aside from malaria or typhoid his mental acumen was second to none.

According to him, “I personally feel and understand the demands of the job; I’m going to roll up my sleeves and execute this function with clarity precision and nomination most importantly.”
The economist stressed that there are three things critically important for the job, which he listed to include skills, experience and character.

He added: “Looking back at my life, there are a couple of things that actually fortified me for this job. Number one is that I am an economist. The crucial set of issues facing this country today are fundamental, economic and social in nature.

“So, theoretically and practically, I am fully equipped to actually understand the dynamics of the Nigerian ecosystem from both an economic and social standpoint.

“Two, is the fact that I believe that I’m a really good student of strategy. Strategy is about defining a long-term strategic outlook of a country. And my experience will suggest that over the last 30 years, I’ve been involved in a number of strategic planning exercises, both at work, at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) where I was Group Managing Director and also at FSB international.”

Hayatu-deen insisted that he was fully equipped to discharge the responsibility of the president of Nigeria.
He said he understood the challenges and opportunities facing the country, saying he clearly understood what it would require to proffer solutions that would bring about long-term economic development to the country.

Hayatu-deen explained that the security situation facing the country was difficult and complex.
The presidential hopeful stressed that there were a number of difficulties preventing the military from bringing the security challenges facing the country to a logical end, especially because the war was not a conventional warfare where the enemies are known.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said stamping out insecurity completely was difficult, saying its underlying causes were social and economic in nature
To achieve his presidential aspiration, he disclosed that he would visit former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, former Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma, traditional rulers among others.