The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticized Governor Seyi Makinde, calling his recent remarks at an opposition party’s summit inciting and inappropriate.
During the National Summit of All Opposition Political Party Leaders, Governor Makinde referenced the violent Operation Wetie crisis that took place in the South-West in the 1960s, warning against the dangers of a one-party state.
APC national spokesman, Felix Morka, condemned Makinde’s comments, describing them as disgraceful. For a sitting governor, who is constitutionally the chief security officer of Oyo State, to make such threats is truly disgraceful. Governor Makinde should be ashamed of himself. It is wrong for him to do that,” Morka said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
Morka added, People in leadership positions have a special responsibility to speak with restraint, decorum, and sensibility. As a governor, you wield significant authority; you should not incite those you lead to violence. That is not democratic, but rather anti-democratic.
Operation Wetie was a period of intense political upheaval in the South-West, particularly in Ibadan, Oyo State. The name, derived from a Yoruba phrase meaning wet him,” referred to a wave of arson attacks on political opponents and their property following the disputed Western Region elections of 1965, which many alleged were rigged.
At the summit, Makinde, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), cautioned, “For those carrying on as if there is no tomorrow, remember that Operation Wetie started here. This is the same Wild Wild West.”
Despite criticism from the APC, Ladan Salihu, a chieftain of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), defended Makinde’s remarks. Appearing on the same program, Salihu argued that Makinde’s warning was a reflection of current realities in Nigeria.
What Governor Makinde did was simply sound a warning. When you consider the historical context of Operation Wetie and compare it to today’s situation, there are clear warning signs. We are approaching danger signals, Salihu said.
He continued, “Governor Makinde’s message is a wake-up call for the APC government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reflect seriously on Nigeria’s future and address the pressing issues of insecurity, economic hardship, and misgovernance. If these problems are not addressed, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past.
