Senator Adams Oshiomhole has directed attention to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar when questioned about the recent wave of political defections in Nigeria, suggesting that Atiku would be the most qualified person to write a book on why politicians switch parties.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, the former Edo State governor was responding to questions about the increasing number of politicians defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including the surprising move by the Delta State governor.

"The best person who can write a book on why people decamp should be the former vice president," Oshiomhole stated, pointing to Atiku's history of party-switching. "It will be nice to ask him, as a sitting vice president, you left your party."

Oshiomhole highlighted that Atiku has a long history of political migrations, noting that the former vice president left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while serving as vice president under President Olusegun Obasanjo to join the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which later became part of the APC.

"Was Atiku Abubakar coerced by Tinubu to come and join ACN?" Oshiomhole asked rhetorically, addressing arguments about political coercion. "I was governor in ACN; so I am familiar with the issue in the ACN. Atiku left Obasanjo in PDP to come and pick our ticket and run as president."

The senator further recounted how Atiku later returned to the PDP to contest against Goodluck Jonathan, and subsequently rejoined the APC to compete against Muhammadu Buhari in party primaries.

Defending the practice of political defections, Oshiomhole referenced his own experience as an opposition governor who won elections without joining the ruling party. "I ran my election as opposition, two times. In 2007, the PDP rigged me out. I went to court. I fought them and I won. And in 2012 I went for a rerun, and I won. So I understand the meaning of opposition."

He acknowledged that the Nigerian constitution recognizes situations where party disarray might justify a politician's decision to switch allegiances rather than spending time meant for state matters on resolving party issues.

The comments come amid ongoing discussions about party loyalty and the motivations behind the frequent political realignments that characterize Nigerian politics.