A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, has expressed concern over the exclusion of the PDP, African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Labour Party (LP) from Saturday’s Rivers State House of Assembly by-election.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that the three political parties would not participate in the February 21 bye-election in Rivers State based on a number of reasons.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the state, Gabriel Yomere, made the announcement while speaking eith representatives of security agencies in Port Harcourt on Friday.

He said 12 candidates from seven political parties were cleared to participate in the election scheduled to hold in the two constituencies –Ahoada East Constituency 2 and Khana Constituency 2.

According to him, out of the 12 candidates, seven are participating in Ahoada East Constituency 2 and five candidates are participating in Khana Constituency 2.

Mr Yomere, who explained that ADC’s expulsion was due to the party’s failure to upload primary results to the INEC portal at headquarters within a given period, said PDP did not even take part in the primaries,while LP said it had litigation.

Reacting, Mr George, who described the development as worrisome, called for more clarity on the reasons behind the exclusion.

He stressed the importance of transparency and adherence to due process in the conduct of elections.

“I strongly believe the question Nigerians should ask now is this: why were major political parties disqualified from participating in the election?

“How can political parties be disqualified in this manner? Nigerians deserve clear explanations on the criteria applied and how the decisions were reached,” Mr George said.

The PDP chieftain noted that political parties play a vital role in democratic governance and should be given fair opportunity to participate in the electoral process, in line with the law.

He referenced past political developments in Nigeria, urging stakeholders to learn from history and ensure the strengthening of democratic institutions.

He said, “What happened between 1962 and 1966 taught us that political disagreements, if not properly managed, can escalate. It is important that we handle issues with caution and responsibility.”

Mr George encouraged leaders and institutions to act in ways that promote national unity, fairness and confidence in the democratic process.

“For the sake of our democracy, our history and our children, the time to act responsibly is now. Nigeria cannot afford setbacks in its democratic journey,” he stated.

(NAN)