The All Progressives Congress accused Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of inciting violence on Sunday after he warned opposition leaders at a summit in Ibadan that “operation wetie” began in the city. The party said his words were reckless and warned that they could fuel anarchy, murderous rage and widespread lawlessness.
Makinde had spoken a day earlier at the national summit of All Opposition Political Party Leaders, where he told delegates: “For those that are carrying on as if there’s no tomorrow. They should remember that “operation wetie” started from here. This is the same Wild Wild West,” a reference to a violent chapter in Nigeria’s political history that began after the disputed 1965 western region elections.
In Yoruba, “operation wetie” means “wet him.” In the mid-1960s, the phrase came to describe political attacks in Nigeria’s western region, especially Ibadan, when opponents, their homes and their vehicles were doused with petrol and set ablaze. The APC said Makinde’s comments crossed a line from political rhetoric into a threat to public safety.
Felix Morka, the party’s national publicity secretary, issued the response on Sunday and said security and intelligence agencies should take the matter seriously to protect lives and property. The APC said constitutional immunity does not protect public officials from accountability over statements it believes threaten national security, and added that no one should be allowed to endanger Nigerians or undermine democratic governance under the cover of political commentary.
The confrontation comes as the opposition and the governing party are trading accusations over the state of Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general election. The APC rejected claims that the country is sliding into a one-party state, saying opposition parties are being weakened instead by internal crises, leadership struggles and poor organisation, while it criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.
Makinde’s remark also landed in a political environment already shaped by disputes over power, loyalty and money in Oyo State. On the same day, the Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party dismissed allegations of financial misconduct against the governor, saying the figures being circulated were speculative, unsupported by any verifiable document and not backed by a budgetary reference, procurement record or audit trail.
The Oyo PDP said public finance in the state is governed by appropriation laws, due process and oversight by relevant authorities, and insisted Makinde’s administration remains committed to transparency, accountability and responsible governance. It said the government has recorded measurable progress in infrastructure, workers’ welfare, education, healthcare and security.
What makes the exchange matter now is not only the historical warning Makinde invoked, but the speed with which the APC turned it into a national security issue. By Sunday night, the governor’s words had become more than a political jab in Ibadan. They were being cast as a test of how far Nigeria’s parties can push their language before the next crisis starts looking less like history and more like a preview.
