— APC Condemns Statement as Disgraceful
— Opposition Defends Warning as Timely Wake-Up Call
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his recent remarks at an opposition parties’ summit, describing them as inciting and unbecoming of a sitting governor.
Governor Makinde had, during the National Summit of Opposition Political Party Leaders, referenced the historic “Operation Wetie” violence that rocked the South-West in the 1960s, while cautioning against the dangers of a one-party state.
Reacting to the comment, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, condemned the governor’s statement, labelling it “disgraceful” and irresponsible.
Speaking on Sunday Politics, Morka said it was inappropriate for a chief security officer of a state to make remarks capable of inciting violence.
“For a sitting governor, who constitutionally is the chief security officer of his state, to bandy around such a threat is disgraceful. Governor Makinde should be ashamed of himself.
It is wrong,” Morka said.
He stressed that leaders must exercise restraint, decorum, and sensitivity in their public utterances, especially given the influence they wield.
“People in leadership bear exceptional responsibility to speak with restraint and sensibility. You do not sit as governor, wield enormous authority, and incite people to violence. That is completely anti-democratic,” he added.
The term “Operation Wetie” refers to a dark period in Nigeria’s political history marked by widespread violence in the old Western Region, particularly in Ibadan, now the capital of Oyo State.
Derived from a Yoruba phrase meaning “soak him,” the term described a violent tactic in which political opponents and their properties were doused with petrol and set ablaze.
The unrest followed the controversial 1965 Western Region elections, which were widely alleged to have been rigged in favour of the ruling party, triggering chaos and instability across the region.
At the summit, Governor Makinde, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), warned against political actions that could push the country towards a similar crisis.
“For those acting as if there is no tomorrow, they should remember that ‘Operation Wetie’ started from here. This is the same Wild Wild West,” he said.
While the APC has faulted the remark, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ladan Salihu, has come to the governor’s defence.
Also speaking on Sunday Politics, Salihu argued that Makinde’s comment should be seen as a cautionary statement rather than a call to violence.
According to him, the governor merely drew historical parallels to highlight emerging concerns in the country’s political climate.
“What Governor Makinde did was to issue a warning. When you take the historical perspective of ‘Operation Wetie’ and relate it to current realities, there are clear danger signals,” Salihu said.
He added that Nigeria appears to be approaching a critical point, noting that current socio-political conditions demand urgent attention.
“We are on the amber light, approaching danger signals. What he is saying is that the APC government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should reflect on the future of the country,” he stated.
Salihu cited insecurity, economic hardship, and governance challenges as key issues fuelling public anxiety across the nation.
“If these problems are not addressed, we risk sliding into crisis. His comment was simply a wake-up call, not an incitement,” he added.
The exchange underscores growing political tensions between the ruling party and opposition figures ahead of future electoral contests, as debates over governance and democratic space continue to intensify.
Observers say such public disagreements highlight the need for caution and responsible rhetoric among political leaders to prevent further polarisation in the country.
