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APC to Makinde: “Your ‘operation wetie’ remark at Ibadan opposition summit is reckless and inciting”
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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he described as the governor’s “reckless political language,” accusing him of indirectly promoting violence through historical references.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.
The Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), Arole Oodua Olofin Adimula and the Natural Head of the Oduduwa race worldwide, the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has rubbished reports circulating on social media alleging that he conferred a chieftaincy title on popular Nollywood actor and comedian, James Olanrewaju, popularly known as Baba Ijesha.
In a statement on Saturday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare said the Ooni clarified that although he warmly received the actor and his wife at the Ile Oodua Palace on Wednesday to celebrate the birth of his son and presented him with a brand-new car and cash gifts as a demonstration of his fatherly love and royal generosity, no chieftaincy title was conferred on him.
According to him, the expression “Awada Konge Oduwa,” which Baba Ijesha later described on his social media pages as a chieftaincy title, was merely a light-comedy remark made by the Ooni during a relaxed interaction in recognition of the actor’s outstanding career as a comedian.
The remark was never intended to constitute a formal installation or conferment of a traditional title.
The Ooni noted that Baba Ijesha, as an indigene of Ile-Ife and a proud son of the source, is deserving of honour and could be considered for a chieftaincy title in the future.
However, no such title has been conferred on him.
“The conferment of chieftaincy titles in Ile-Ife remains a sacred traditional process governed by established customs, consultations and traditional rites, which are publicly conducted in accordance with the age-long traditions of the source. None of these customary procedures took place during the actor’s visit to the Palace, “he said.
While appreciating Baba Ijesha for acknowledging the royal kindness extended to him and his family, the Ooni urged media organisations and members of the public to disregard reports claiming that the actor has been installed as the “Awada Konge Oduwa” or conferred with any chieftaincy title.
The Ooni reaffirmed his commitment to celebrating and supporting deserving sons and daughters of Ile-Ife and the Oodua race at large while preserving the sanctity, dignity and integrity of the revered traditional institution of chieftaincy.
The Presidency has called on security and anti-graft agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute government officials who may have collaborated with Prince Matthew Adeniyi Adeyemi in the alleged operation of two fictitious federal government agencies.
Adeyemi is accused of creating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council using allegedly forged documents purportedly linked to the Presidency.
In a statement on his verified X handle, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said investigators must go beyond Adeyemi and expose the internal network that allegedly enabled him to operate for an extended period.
Ajayi urged the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate all officials within public institutions who may have aided the alleged scheme.
According to Ajayi, much of the public debate has ignored the fact that government institutions detected the alleged fraud and acted on it.
He said officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, working with officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, first discovered inconsistencies in Adeyemi’s operations and reported the matter to the appropriate authorities.
“Contrary to the anything-goes narrative being promoted, it was the system itself that raised the red flag and dealt with it administratively,” Ajayi said.
He, however, acknowledged that the suspect could not have operated for long without help from insiders.
“What is not in doubt is that internal collaborators enabled Adeyemi to get this far. That is precisely what investigators from the DSS, the Police and the EFCC must now unravel.
“The criminal network within the affected institutions must be dismantled and everyone found to have played a role should be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
The Presidency had earlier disowned the disowned the two organisations, insisting that they did not exist as government agencies.
It also maintained that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, neither authorised Adeyemi’s activities nor had any connection with them.
“In Nigeria, the easiest and most believable allegation anyone can throw at a public officer is corruption.
“Once that accusation is thrown into the mix, the water is polluted, the lines are blurred and everyone is kept busy arguing over distractions rather than the real issues,” he wrote.
He described Adeyemi as “an irredeemable con artist” who was using allegations against the Chief of Staff as “his last straw” to avoid criminal liability.
The Presidency insisted that the case should not be framed as evidence of complicity at the highest levels of government, but as an alleged fraud uncovered by the system itself.
Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Abuja Region has announced a planned preventive maintenance at the Katampe 132/33 KiloVolt (kV) Transmission Substation on Saturday from 9:00am to 4:00pm.
General Manager, Public Affairs of the TCN, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, made this announcement in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.
Mbah said the scheduled maintenance is to enable TCN’s maintenance crew carry out preventive maintenance on the 100 Mega Volt Ampere (MVA) 132/33kV Power Transformer (TR1), its auxiliaries, and associated switchgear in the substation.
”Consequently, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, will be unable to off-take bulk power for distribution to customers in parts of Mpape, Maitama, Jahi, Life Camp,
”Others are Kado Fish Market, Idu-Karmo, and their environs during the maintenance period,” she said.
According to her, the company regrets any inconvenience the planned outage may cause electricity customers in the affected areas.
She added that equipment maintenance is essential to ensure their continued optimal performance.
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