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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly hammered Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over his reference to the historic “Operation Wetie” crisis during a recent opposition political summit held in Ibadan, describing the comment as provocative, inappropriate, and capable of inciting tension.

The reaction comes after Governor Makinde, while hosting an opposition gathering themed “That We May Work Together for a United Opposition to Sustain Our Democracy,” warned against what he described as political moves aimed at concentrating legislative power under a single party.

In his remarks, Makinde referenced the violent political unrest of Nigeria’s First Republic, noting that the infamous “Operation Wetie” began in Ibadan before spreading across the old Western Region.

“Those that are carrying on as if there’s no tomorrow… should remember that Operation Wetie started from here. This is the same Wild Wild West,” the governor said.

The phrase “Operation Wetie,” a Yoruba expression meaning “soak him,” refers to a period of intense political violence in the early 1960s marked by arson attacks, electoral crises, and widespread unrest that ultimately contributed to the collapse of Nigeria’s First Republic in 1966.

However, the APC leadership has faulted the governor for invoking the historical episode in what they described as a politically sensitive setting.

Speaking on behalf of the party, APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru dismissed Makinde’s comments as irresponsible and lacking proper historical context.

“It is irresponsible for a governor to make inciting statements without context,” Basiru was quoted as saying.

He argued that the “Operation Wetie” era was a product of electoral disputes and political tension at the time, insisting that the current opposition’s claims of marginalisation were exaggerated.

According to him, the ruling party remains well-structured and focused, while the opposition is struggling with internal divisions.

“Today, the opposition is simply belly-aching because the APC is organised while they are in streams,” he added.

Basiru also urged Nigerians to condemn what he described as the governor’s “reckless political language,” accusing him of indirectly promoting violence through historical references.

Similarly, APC South-West Vice Chairman Isaacs Kekemeke said Makinde’s statement could be misinterpreted as a warning that future elections may be decided through violence.

He dismissed allegations that Nigeria is drifting toward a one-party state under President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the country’s democratic space remains open and competitive.

Kekemeke noted that over 20 political parties are currently registered with the electoral body, arguing that such diversity contradicts claims of political domination.

“It is a figment of hyperactive imagination for any member of the opposition to insinuate a one-party state in a country where over 20 political parties are on the register of the Independent National Electoral Commission,” he said.

He also blamed the opposition for its internal crises, leadership disputes, and lack of coordination, saying these challenges not APC actions are responsible for their political setbacks.

“Is the APC or Federal Government responsible for the inability of opposition leaders to resolve their intra-party leadership crises?” he queried.

Kekemeke further expressed confidence that the APC would maintain dominance in the South-West and across the country, citing what he described as strong grassroots support and governance performance.

He also described Makinde’s comment as a sign of desperation and political frustration.

“The difference is clear: it is leadership, vision, focus and performance. Opposition lacks all of the above,” he said.

In a separate reaction, APC National Secretary Basiru dismissed the Ibadan summit itself, describing it as an informal gathering lacking official party backing.

“The so-called Ibadan summit is a ruse. It was an assemblage of individuals, not 10 political parties,” he said.

He also questioned the legitimacy of claims that multiple parties were involved, arguing that internal divisions within opposition parties undermine their credibility.

Meanwhile, the Presidency also weighed in on the matter through the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who dismissed the opposition coalition as politically weak and unlikely to succeed.

He expressed confidence that President Tinubu would secure re-election, citing what he called ongoing economic and governance reforms.

“President Tinubu stands on solid ground… He will secure a second term because he has earned it,” Dare said.

Despite the backlash, opposition leaders at the Ibadan summit reportedly agreed to work toward fielding a single presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections, describing the move as necessary to strengthen their electoral chances.

The political exchange has further intensified early campaign tensions ahead of 2027, with both ruling and opposition parties hardening their positions as the election cycle gradually builds momentum.

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A man armed with guns and knives stormed the lobby outside a high-profile journalists’ dinner attended by President Donald Trump, his wife Melania and multiple senior U.S. leaders on Saturday night, April 25, 2026, rushing toward the ballroom before Secret Service agents swarmed him and took him into custody. The president and his wife were uninjured and were hustled away.

Guests went diving under tables as the scene unfolded and some reported hearing shots outside the vast subterranean ballroom in the Washington Hilton where the event was being held.

One law enforcement official said a gunman had opened fire. A law enforcement officer was shot in the bullet-resistant vest but is expected to be OK, several sources told The Associated Press.

The shooting suspect — described by Trump as a “sick person” — was identified as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, two law enforcement officials told the AP.

“When you’re impactful, they go after you. When you’re not impactful, they leave you alone,” Trump, safe and uninjured and still in his tuxedo, said at the White House two hours later. “They seem to think he was a lone wolf.”

There was no immediate indication of any other involvement, and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said she had ”no reason” to believe anyone else was involved. Video posted by Trump showed the suspect running past security barricades as Secret Service agents ran toward him.

“There does not appear to be any sort of danger to the public at this time,” Bowser said at a separate news conference.

All officials protected by the Secret Service were evacuated. Those in attendance included Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — and many other leaders of the Trump administration on a night when the nation is at war with Iran.

It was the third time since 2024 that the president had been under threat by an attacker in his immediate vicinity — including the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, that injured him and killed a local firefighter.

“Today we need levels of security that probably nobody has ever seen before,” the president said. But he also said, “We’re not going to let anybody take over our society.”

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US President Donald Trump said Saturday a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner would not deter him from the Iran war, although he believed the incident was unlikely linked to the conflict.

“It’s not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, I really don’t think so, based on what we know,” Trump told reporters in a briefing at the White House after the shocking security incident.

Trump had earlier said, however, that “you never know” if it could be linked to the Iran war, and said investigators were working on the motive of the shooter whom he described as a “lone wolf.”

The US leader earlier Saturday canceled his envoys’ trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran, after being unimpressed with Tehran’s negotiating position following nearly two months of war.