Makinde Warns Against One-Party Rule, Cites ‘Operation Wetie’

IBADAN, Oyo State — Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has warned against any slide towards one-party dominance in Nigeria, invoking the bloody political violence that once scarred the old Western Region.

He spoke at the national summit of All Opposition Political Party Leaders held in Ibadan, where he reminded participants of the dangers of unchecked power.

“Operation Wetie,” a campaign of arson and killings that rocked the region in the mid-1960s with its epicentre here in Ibadan, erupted after the disputed 1965 Western Region elections. Those polls were widely alleged to have been rigged in favour of the ruling faction, pushing the opposition to the fringes. The term itself comes from the Yoruba phrase meaning “wet him” or ,” describing how rivals, their homes and vehicles were doused with petrol and set ablaze.

Makinde told the gathering that history must serve as a guide.

“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,” he said.

He noted that Ibadan had hosted crucial talks in 1950 that helped shape Nigeria’s constitutional path, stressing that such conversations, though imperfect, were vital for the nation’s future.

The governor expressed concern over current moves to tighten legislative control under one party while opposition groups battle internal crises and court cases that threaten their effectiveness.

“This is not something that we should treat lightly,” he said, adding that democracy is not destroyed in a single blow but weakened gradually until citizens lose faith in it.

Makinde insisted the summit was not driven by personal grudges or presidential ambitions. “This meeting is not a gang up against one man. And it’s not about individual ambition to be president; it is about the collective ambition of the Nigerian people to have a democracy that is properly defined,” he declared.

He stressed that no matter how dominant any party or government appears, a strong and credible opposition remains essential. “When opposition becomes ineffective, democracy itself loses meaning. Democracy is not defined by the success of one party, it is defined by the existence of real alternatives,” Makinde added.

NaijaChoice News monitored the proceedings as opposition leaders reflected on these issues.

The governor’s remarks highlight the fragile balance required to keep Nigeria’s democracy alive and inclusive.