Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, has been accused by the All Progressives Congress (APC) of inciting violence through inflammatory remarks made during an opposition summit in Ibadan on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The APC, in a press statement released on Sunday, April 26, 2026, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, CON, condemned Makinde for referencing "Operation Wetie," a violent political crisis from the 1960s in the old Western Region. The party stated that Makinde used the historical episode to threaten Nigerians over what he described as the country's descent into a one-party state. According to the APC, it is deeply troubling for a sitting governor, who holds constitutional responsibility as the chief security officer of his state, to invoke such a dark chapter of political violence. The statement described the remarks as reckless and labeled them a "clear and present threat to peace and national security." The APC warned that such rhetoric could fuel anarchy, murderous rage, and widespread lawlessness, potentially destabilizing national order. It urged security and intelligence agencies to take the matter seriously and act accordingly to protect lives, property, and Nigeria's democratic framework. The party also emphasized that constitutional immunity should not shield public officials from accountability when their words endanger public safety.
A governor invoking "Operation Wetie" to condemn political dominance crosses from criticism into dangerous symbolism, especially given the weight such historical references carry in Yorubaland. The APC's alarm over threats to national security rings hollow when its own rhetoric often flirts with incitement. If Makinde's words are deemed a threat, then the standard for political speech must be consistently applied across party lines. Empty calls for security agencies to act, without addressing the broader culture of inflammatory language, only deepen distrust.
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