Senator Paulker Emmanuel (Bayelsa Central) at the weekend relieved how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disqualified him from the governorship primary election in the state.
He alleged he was stopped from the contest to allow Governor Seriake Dickson emerge the sole candidate of the party for the December 5 election.
The Senator, who spoke in Yenagoa at a forum with members of his campaign organisation, described the action of the PDP Screening Committee in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as shocking and incredible.
He accused the party of lacking internal democracy.
Paulker, a three-time senator, said: “For our democracy to thrive, there must be internal democracy. Without internal democracy, it is difficult for a party to reflect democracy on the playground.
“It is better to quarrel in the process of internal democracy than to shut out internal democracy out of our democratic experience.
“Regarding our disqualification, up till now, the appeal panel has yet to come out with the result of the screening.
“Power comes from God. Irrespective of parties, Bayelsa belongs to all of us.
“If a government is formed tomorrow, all of us will benefit from it. Any government in power owes all of us a duty of service.
“Like I told them at the screening panel, when they criticised me that members of the All Progressives Congress attended my ceremonies, I said the party required more Paulkers now than ever because we require ambassadors to go out of this party to canvass for votes in order for us to win.”
Saying that democracy had come to stay in the country, he warned against any attempt to make mockery of it by unjustly stopping people from contesting political offices.
A member of his campaign organisation, Dr Ayakeme Whisky, said the disqualification was a rape on democracy.
He said: “Paulker, as a loyal party member and our principal, has given up on his disqualification. What else do you want him to do?
“If the party he aspired for its flag, till this minute as we speak, has not released the outcome of their appeal screening, what do expect him to do but to defer to God?
“At the lower screening committee, they said he was not cleared. Suspectingly, six months ago, they cleared the same man to fly the flag of the party to contest for Senate.
“He contested and won the Senate for the PDP, he is a serving member of the Senate, the same man you did not clear today, on what grounds?
“It is quite inexplicable. The same man appealed the disqualification.
“Expectedly, the appeal committee should have come out with the result, either upholding his disqualification or non-clearance or giving him clearance to contest.
“But even as we speak, the timetable for the PDP primary is over. As we speak, the outcome of the appeal panel has not been released.
“So, what do you expect him to do? If he runs from the party and says he wants to fly another party’s flag, what will happen to his senatorial seat?
“It is a very complex matter and as a loyal party member, he has decided to allow the will of God prevail.”