Oshiomhole: Atiku Most Popular Defector In History, Should Write A Book

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, May 14th, 2025

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, has stated that former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, should publish a book on why politicians move from one party to another.

The former governor of Edo made this known on Tuesday when he appeared on ‘Politics Today’, a programme aired on Channels Television.

According to the former Labour leader, Abubakar’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) while he was still serving as the vice-president is one of the most talked about political shifts in Nigeria.

“But let me remind you that those who started defection — the most popular one in the history of Nigeria — is His Excellency Atiku Abubakar,” Oshiomhole said.

“When, as a sitting vice-president of Nigeria, he decamped from PDP to ACN — which is now part of APC — was he courted by no state at all?

“Was he (Abubakar) courted by ACN, which was then led by Bola Tinubu — Asiwaju Tinubu — a non-state president at the time?”

Oshiomhole played down the idea that there is a lack of cohesion in the ruling APC, as the former vice-president’s actions is a pointer that personal ambition pilots political moves.

“Was Atiku Abubakar coerced by Tinubu to come and join us in ACN?” he asked.

“Did ACN coerce Atiku Abubakar to leave Obasanjo and PDP to pick our ticket and run as president?”

He also queried if Abubakar’s return to the PDP after his presidential defeat was coerced by anyone in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Did we force him to leave our party and return to PDP to contest against Jonathan?” Oshiomhole asked.

“When he lost, did we coerce him — without being in government — to come back to APC and run against Buhari?

“I think the best person who can write a book on why people decamp should be the former vice-president Atiku Abubakar.