The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has kicked against the recent referencing of ‘Operation Wetie’ by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while speaking at the summit held by opposition political parties in Ibadan.

Operation Wetie was used to describe the violent unrests that resulted from the disputed 1965 Western Region elections or the ‘Wild Wild West.’

The camp, which is backed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, noted that the governor’s reference implied a call to violence in the country’s politics, which it said must not be allowed.

But the Tanimu Turaki-led NWC speedily countered the Mohammed-led camp, saying the comments of the the Oyo governor were merely “advisory” to make the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government realise that those who failed to learn from history were “doomed.”

The Mohammed camp’s reaction was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday evening by its National Publicity Secretary, Honourable Jungudo Haruna Mohammed.

It said, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expresses deep concern over reports of remarks allegedly made by Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, referencing ‘Wetie’, a term historically associated with a period of grave political violence in the history of our dear country.

“The Party strongly condemns this disgraceful statement, and emphatically reiterates that violence has absolutely no place in our political space today.

“Nigeria must come first, before politics and before personal ambitions. Without a peaceful and stable nation, no political system or democratic process can thrive.

“The PDP therefore calls on all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, to unite in rejecting any rhetoric or action that could incite unrest or threaten national cohesion.

“Our shared history reminds us of the cost of division, and we must remain vigilant in safeguarding the peace we have worked hard to build.”

The party asked security agencies to investigate that matter by carrying appropriate legal actions.

“We further urge security and law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties with diligence and professionalism by reviewing the circumstances surrounding these reports and also ensure that all relevant individuals are available to respond to lawful inquiries no matter how highly placed.

“The PDP remains committed to fostering a political culture rooted in dialogue, tolerance, and respect for the rule of law.

“Our nation’s future rests on our shared commitment to put the country first, above any individual interest”, the camp added.

Makinde, while addressing the Ibadan summit gathering, had warned against the dangers of drifting Nigeria into a one-party state, saying that when other political actors were denied the right of existence, the consequences could be dear just like it happened many years ago.

“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”, the governor said.

He spoke more, saying, “There are open efforts to consolidate legislative control under one party.

“At the same time, opposition parties are increasingly entangled in internal crises and legal battles that raise serious questions about their ability to function effectively.

“This is not something that we should treat lightly. I don’t want to think saboteurs are here. Because democracy is not destroyed overnight, it is weakened step by step until people begin to feel it no longer works for them.”

Defending the governor, the Turaki-led NWC argued that President Bola Tinubu, the APC and not Makinde, were the ones driving Nigeria towards violence.

It noted that Makinde only stated the obvious, that “greed” could lead to destruction.

“The use of history in the way and manner done by Governor Makinde in the said speech served as a caution and advisory to the Federal Government, the APC, and other national institutions, of the unmitigated crisis that their actions and inactions can result in. Only a guilty aggressor can interpret it to mean a threat or call to violence. It

It is common knowledge that those who do not learn from history are doomed by it.

“Governor Makinde offered a sobering reminder that when insatiable political greed and avarice replace patriotism and good governance, and are compounded by the accumulated anger and frustrations of the citizenry, the resultant conflagration will be of immeasurable proportion. This again is a fact that history bears witness to.

“The events that led to the sad incident of ‘wetie’ and the current happenings within the political space, as orchestrated by the APC, are not just similar but identical in both intent and execution. To continue doing the same thing while expecting a different result is the very definition of political recklessness”, the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, responded on Sunday.

The party further argued that when pushed to the wall, “people have no other direction to go but forward, against the wall itself. The current slide into elected totalitarianism has been entirely engineered by the APC and the Federal Government. They cannot decry the effect while remaining willfully blind to the cause and to their own culpability in it.”

It recalled that while the APC was in the opposition, it did not only threaten violence but also vowed to make blood flow on the streets of Nigeria.

“When the APC was in opposition, they did not merely threaten violence, they openly

promised to make the country ungovernable, with the infamous baboon and blood

narrative. They therefore lack any moral capacity to complain about a mere historical recollection by a sitting governor.

“As long as the targeted state-sponsored decimation of the opposition continues, the opposition parties will explore increasingly potent strategies, entirely within the ambit of the law, to prevent the enthronement of a one-party state under an elected dictator”, it said.

Describing the APC as “failure”, it noted that the party ought to be ashamed of its government.

It added, “The APC should be ashamed of their comprehensive failure in both governance and

politics, and their resort to the crude tactics of inducement, intimidation and persecution of opposition leaders.

“Finally, the responsibility for any violence in the build-up to or immediately after the 2027 elections lies squarely at the doors of the Federal Government, the All Progressives Congress, INEC, and every national institution charged with the defence of democracy. The citizens know the aggressors from the victims, and the APC’s attempt to play victim has failed woefully.” (Nigerian Tribune)