Chief Joe Edionwele, formerly chairman Esan West Local Government Area, Ekpoma, between 1999 and 2003, is the zonal secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-South.
In this interview, he dispelled fears that the recent defection of five PDP governors to the All Progressive Congress (APC) will affect the re-election chances of President Jonathan in 2015. He also spoke on the chances of the PDP in the 2015 elections in Edo State. Excerpts:

BY GABRIEL EWEPU

ON comments that the recent defection of five PDP governors to the APC could hurt PDP’s dominance
The world can do without the best man. People get it wrong when they think people cannot do without them. The PDP was not formed because of these five governors. Just as they are leaving, more people are coming in. It is a two-way traffic thing. It is not very simple to just move from one party to another. A lot of your followers will not go with you. The place you are going, you will need to displace some people if you want to remain relevant there and that is not easy. At the end of the day, the people will decide.

With APC’s growing influence, don’t you think they will pose dangers to the PDP in 2015?
There is nothing the APC can do. I am the South-South Secretary of the PDP and I am telling you that PDP is on ground. Since Rotimi Amaechi has decided to go the other way, the PDP has become stronger. The enemy within is always more difficult to handle.

You do not think the PDP could lose Rivers state in 2015 with Amaechi’s move to APC?
In 2011, Amaechi voted in his own ward and lost there. He was a sitting governor then, but lost in his own unit. The PDP won in every other place, except in Amaechi’s area. Omehia beat him in his own ward. Amaechi is the governor does not mean he is very popular.

On why he is gunning for House of Representatives seat and his chances
It is purely based on service to humanity. We feel even though we have done well, we can always do better.  I do not understand what you mean by, ‘my party not being popular’ in the state.

Political platform
People now vote for individuals. It is true that the candidate is contesting under a political platform, but the electorates will look at your antecedents and what you have been able to do. I will be judged on that basis. My past will speak for me. I am very convinced that whatever political platform I chose to run, I will win.

With Edo and Rivers states under APC, won’t it weaken President Jonathan’s support base in the South-South?
You are using the governors as a basis to judge if President Jonathan’s support base in the region is still intact. You must know that even the governor cannot vote beyond his polling unit. You just believe that the governor is rich and can use the state’s resources to sway the outcome of the election. It is not as easy as that.

At the end of the day, President Jonathan remains our son. He has done very well. We need to look at records to see which President has actually done what Jonathan is doing. It is just because he is humble, and people are taking his humility for granted.

Look at the power sector and the different power stations he had built. Look at the railways, the aviation, the roads and other sectors. Look at health and the economy. I do not think any President has done what President Jonathan is doing now. The President does not boast.

Do you think President Jonathan should seek re-election in 2015?
Of course, I am very convinced that he should run in 2015, because I have not seen a better alternative. The devil you know is better than these other people parading themselves as saints. He has touched every aspect of our national life.

These same people that are talking, if you give them power, they will not give any room for the opposition to say anything. They will crush every opposition.

After the PDP lost out in last year’s gubernatorial election in Edo state not much has been heard about the party. What is in the offing?
The party is doing much. You know that the other party is being financed by the state government and they tend to have more publicity. What we are doing now is to reach out to those at the grassroots who matter most.