Senator Adams Oshiomhole has asserted that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar lacks the moral authority to criticize former Delta State Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and his successor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for their recent switch to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking at the 28th Founders’ Day Lecture of Independent Television and Radio, themed “Nigeria, Where Are We Going?”, Oshiomhole emphasized that Atiku’s repeated party changes disqualify him from rebuking others for similar actions.
He pointed out that Atiku remains silent when circumstances favor him but raises concerns when they do not. “I was listening to discussions regarding the significance of the reunion of Edo and Delta with Dr. Okowa and Governor Oborevwori joining the APC. Those speaking, including Atiku, have demonstrated through their actions that a sitting vice president can defect to the opposition and still maintain their position, as supported by a Supreme Court ruling,” Oshiomhole stated.
He recalled his time as the unofficial opposition leader while serving as president of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Atiku, he noted, defected to the Action Congress in Lagos, ran for president, and lost. Oshiomhole highlighted that this same individual, who is now vocally criticizing Okowa, has switched parties multiple times—returning to the PDP, contesting against former President Muhammadu Buhari, and facing further defeats against President Bola Tinubu.
Oshiomhole expressed disbelief that Atiku would criticize someone who has only changed parties once.
Furthermore, he refuted claims that he stated all sins are forgiven upon joining the APC, accusing the media of misrepresenting his comments. “I have issued statements clarifying this issue. The media lacks evidence to support their claims, and I have requested they provide video evidence of my alleged comments,” he stated.
He explained that when Patrick Iluobe defected from the PDP to the APC, he remarked that in their dialect, Iluobe means “I have stopped doing bad,” suggesting that leaving the deceptive PDP would lead to positive change. Oshiomhole contended that the media, aligned with the PDP, distorted his words to imply he claimed all sins are forgiven upon joining the APC.
