‘If he can’t fix PDP, he can’t build Nigeria’: Oshiomhole mocks Atiku’s defection to ADC

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the most prominent political defector in Nigeria’s history, suggesting that he is best suited to author a book on the subject.

Oshiomhole’s comments came hours after Abubakar formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the party adopted by a coalition of opposition politicians to wrestle power from the APC in 2027.

Atiku confirmed his defection in a post on X, sharing a photo of himself holding his ADC membership card with the caption: “It’s official.

Speaking on Monday during his appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Oshiomhole said Abubakar’s long struggle to stabilise the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) weakens his claim that he can turn the country around.

He said the former Vice-President had not shown the capacity to provide direction within the PDP despite his long-standing influence in the party.

“If Atiku as a former vice-president under PDP could not fix PDP, he could not reconstruct it, and he could not provide leadership and use his influence which he had built, how can you lay claim to fix Nigeria?” Oshiomhole asked.

The senator also referenced Abubakar’s exit from the APC, saying the former vice-president only left the ruling party because he failed to clinch its presidential ticket.

“He was once a member of the APC. He left because he lost the party’s presidential ticket,” he said.

“He went back to the PDP. He’s so much in love with the PDP, at least for the purpose of contesting election. He could not build PDP.

“So, if Atiku can’t build the PDP that made him vice-president, he can’t fix Nigeria.”

Abubakar’s move to the ADC comes after he resigned from the PDP in July following months of internal disputes within the opposition party.

He was the PDP presidential candidate for the 2019 and 2023 general elections.