One of the remaining fourteen aspirants vying for the presidential ticket under the Peoples Democratic Party, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen has withdrawn from the race for the party’s ticket just hours before the commencement of the party’s primary election.

In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Iyiochia Ayu, which he signed, the economist and former banker said he withdrew from the race on grounds of morality noting that the entire contest has been “obscenely monetized.”

Deen said, “I joined the contest as a democrat, with an open mind to keenly contest and accept the result of a process that is fair, credible, and transparent. We have endeavoured to forge a consensus which would have facilitated a seamless emergence of a candidate which unfortunately could not be achieved”.

“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”