The founding leader of the Nigerian Economic Summit, Renowned economist and former Chairman/CEO of FSB International Bank PLC, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen has joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) .
Hayatudeen said that seeing that Nigeria was headed in the wrong direction, it is expedient for Nigerians to rise up to rescue the country from utter collapse . Hayatudeen also said that his decision to join the PDP was taken after reviewing the country’s deteriorating economic and security situation.
Addressing a large crowd of supporters after receiving his PDP membership, Hayatudeen said, “It is there for all to see that the nation is headed in the wrong direction. The signs of decay have been looming on the horizon for quite sometime.
“But, how do we ever expect change to happen if we, as citizens, do not effectively participate in the political process, demand results from leaders and hold them accountable.
“It, therefore, goes without saying that such a desired change can only happen if we significantly expand citizens participation in democratic and political institutions by taking concerted action to deepen and enrich the pool of political practitioners.”
According to him, “The economy and the society have literally been in free fall as we have been witnesses to the sharp and rapid unravelling of our way of life, our dignity and self-worth as a people and our time-honoured institutions.”
He added, “despite the abundant blessings bestowed on this beautiful land by Almighty God, something as basic as putting bread and butter on the table is a daily struggle for the majority of Nigerian families.
“For a great number of our fellow citizens, getting clothed and having a roof over their heads is a utopian dream. And collectively, for all of us as citizens, we can no longer feel safe or secure in our homes, streets or highways
“Our sacred national anthem, which is the glue that binds us as one nation is observed more in the breach than in practice as we see the foundations of our union come under severe stresses and strains. But by far the most perplexing and egregious issue of the moment is the carnage being unleashed on citizens by connoisseurs of violence and terror all over our peace-loving and God-fearing communities.
“Not by the wildest stretch of the imagination did I ever conceive of the nation being bathed by such vast oceans of the blood of innocent men, women and children in tandem with the displacement of entire communities.”
He said it was the case that vast sections of the country have been torched up by bandits and terrorists, who are hell-bent on extracting more than their fair share through the back door what they believe should legitimately accrue to them through the front door based on their expectations of dividends of democracy.
His words: “I have thought long and hard about the calamity that has befallen our dear country and identified many factors that are responsible for this grim state of affairs. One of them is the glaring absence of citizens action and participation in the political affairs of the nation.
“Many of us are simply complacent and just happy to go about seeking our daily bread and not bothering to take an active interest in how we are governed and administered”, adding, “Therefore, after a profound and deep reflection, I have decided to put my lot with the Peoples Democratic Party by getting on board as a member of the Party.”
On why he joined the main opposition party, he said, “In the last several months, the evidence on the ground would seem to suggest that PDP has pulled its act together based on the disciplined and seamless manner it conducted elections for various party offices and organs, the heavy emphasis it has placed on merit in the election of the leadership of the party and the mature and methodical manner in which it has proceeded to conduct its affairs since the election”.
Although he said much was still expected of the PDP, the manner the Iyorchia Ayu-led National Working Committee (NWC) was elected gave him hope that it was the party to be, explaining also that he had implicit confidence in Ayu, who was his classmate.
“For all of the above reasons and much more, I give my solemn pledge that I will donate the full measure of my energy and devotion as a member to advance the interests of the party, my beloved community and the country,” he said.
