By Afrilens News
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Kabiru Turaki has defended comments made by Seyi Makinde, insisting his reference to “Operation Wetie” was a historical warning rather than a call to violence.
Makinde, speaking at an opposition leaders’ summit in Ibadan, warned about the dangers facing Nigeria’s democracy, stating: “For those who are carrying on as if there is no tomorrow. They should remember that ‘Operation Wetie’ started from here. This is the same Wild Wild West.”
The phrase “Operation Wetie” refers to the violent political crisis that engulfed Nigeria’s Western Region in the mid-1960s, particularly in Ibadan, where political opponents and their properties were attacked and set ablaze following disputed elections.
Reacting, Felix Morka, national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), condemned the remark as “reckless” and a threat to national peace, urging security agencies to take it seriously.
However, in a statement, Ini Ememobong, spokesperson of the Turaki-led PDP faction, said Makinde’s words were misinterpreted, describing them as “a caution and advisory” against political repression and the erosion of democratic opposition.
“The use of history in the way and manner done by Governor Makinde… served as a caution and advisory… of the unmitigated crisis that their actions and inactions can result in,” the statement said.
“Only a guilty aggressor can interpret it to mean a threat or call to violence… those who do not learn from history are doomed by it.”
Ememobong further warned that growing political tension and alleged suppression of opposition voices could trigger widespread unrest if not addressed, arguing that “when insatiable political greed and avarice replace patriotism… the resultant conflagration will be of immeasurable proportion.”
The PDP faction also accused the APC of hypocrisy, recalling past opposition rhetoric: “When the APC was in opposition, they did not merely threaten violence; they openly promised to make the country ungovernable… they therefore lack any moral capacity to complain.”
The party added that it would hold the federal government, the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and other institutions responsible for any breakdown of law and order ahead of the 2027 elections.
The exchange underscores rising political tensions as Nigeria inches toward the next electoral cycle, with fears that inflammatory rhetoric—whether intended as warning or otherwise—could deepen partisan divisions and heighten security concerns if not carefully managed.
