APC accuses Makinde of invoking violent history to incite unrest, calls him unfit for office and threatens security.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned remarks by Seyi Makinde, accusing the Oyo State Governor of inciting violence and threatening national security.
In a press statement issued in Abuja on April 26, 2026, the party criticised comments made by Makinde during a summit of opposition political parties in Ibadan on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The statement read: “While addressing a summit of opposition political parties in Ibadan, yesterday, Saturday, April 25, 2026, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state invoked the bloody history of ‘Operation Wetie’ to incite Nigerians to violence over his baseless and senseless allegation of the country’s descent into a one party state.”
The APC described the Governor’s remarks as dangerous and unbecoming of his office, stating: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) categorically condemns Governor Makinde’s incitement as reckless, and a clear and present threat to peace and national security.”
It added: “It is particularly disturbing for a sitting Governor who bears constitutional responsibility as the Chief Security Officer of his state to conjure up one of the darkest episodes of political violence in Nigeria’s history to threaten violence against the people and government of Nigeria. By his incitement to violence, Makinde has showed himself to be unworthy of the high office of Governor that he occupies.”
The party warned that Makinde’s rhetoric could have far-reaching consequences, saying: “Makinde’s violent rhetoric cannot be dismissed as mere opposition posturing. His statement risks fueling anarchy, murderous rage and widespread lawlessness capable of undermining national stability.”
It called on security agencies to act, stating: “We therefore call on all relevant security and intelligence agencies to take this unfortunate development seriously and act to safeguard lives, property, and defend Nigeria’s democratic order.”
The APC further stressed accountability despite constitutional immunity, noting: “Makinde must be reminded that constitutional immunity from prosecution is not immunity from accountability for threats or acts against national security. No individual, however highly placed, should have the power to threaten or endanger the lives and safety of Nigerians or upend the country’s hard-won democratic governance under the guise of political commentary.”
The party also dismissed claims by opposition figures about a one-party state, stating: “The APC, again, vehemently rejects attempts by confused opposition leaders to frame their internal shambles in alarmist narratives about so-called one-party domination.”
It attributed challenges within opposition parties to internal issues, adding: “The opposition parties are victims of self-inflicted injuries arising from anti-democratic practices, miserably poor leadership, internal contradictions, utter disregard for due process and the rule of law, persistent factionalization, and the desperate and dissonant presidential ambitions of their leaders.”
The APC specifically criticised key opposition figures and parties, stating: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was destroyed by Atiku Abubakar’s ruthless confiscation of the PDP’s 2023 presidential ticket in violation of the party’s constitutionally entrenched rotational zoning formula.”
It added: “The Labour Party (LP) was effectively subverted by the restless nomadic disposition of its 2023 presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, permanently swinging from one party to another in search of free and uncontested presidential ticket.”
On coalition efforts, the party said: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC), so-called coalition platform, was basically stillborn, strangled by the reckless robbery of that party’s leadership by the same band of marauding opposition figures, never willing to remain and build their parties but always quick to use the revolving door on to the next available party. They have left nothing but desolation in opposition trail.”
The APC expressed confidence in its standing with Nigerians, stating: “At the APC, we are confident that Nigerians are discerning and recognize that a party so grossly unable to manage its own internal affairs cannot be entrusted with the governance of Africa’s most populous and important country.”
It added that opposition leaders lack a clear policy direction: “These opposition leaders and their coalition of confusion have not put anything forward by way of an alternative vision for Nigeria’s development. All they have in their arsenal is fear mongering built on false narratives about the APC.”
The party rejected expectations of intervention in opposition affairs, stating: “Our great Party rejects the veiled expectation of opposition leaders that the APC would help them manage their internal affairs. We bear no such duty and will not provide any such leadership consulting services to them.”
It also reaffirmed its political readiness ahead of the next elections: “And we will not yield to blackmail to abdicate our duty to our Party to plan, organize and mobilize to compete effectively in the upcoming 2027 general elections.”
The APC emphasised the strength of Nigeria’s democratic system, stating: “Nigeria’s democratic space remains as robust as can be. With nearly two dozen parties registered and participating freely in the country’s electoral process, the opposition’s unjustifiable attacks on our great Party, and their threats of violence is nothing but primitive capitulation, an admission of incompetence, and a peremptory alibi for what is looking to be a fantastic rebuke at the hands of the Nigerian electorate come 2027.”
The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of the party’s governance agenda under Bola Ahmed Tinubu: “Our great party, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains committed to strengthening democratic institutions, upholding the rule of law, and delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda for the peace, unity, and prosperity of all Nigerians.”
