PDP rallies behind Makinde following 'Wetie' remark, claims APC is resorting to strong-arm tactics.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has laid the blame for escalating political tension and potential violence in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections squarely at the feet of President Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and key national institutions.

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In a statement released on Sunday by Comrade Ini Ememobong, the party's National Publicity Secretary, the PDP came to the defense of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who had faced criticism for his remarks at the National Summit of Opposition Political Parties in Ibadan.

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The opposition party insisted that Governor Makinde's reference to the historic "wetie" violence was not a threat, but rather a warning against the dangers of political repression, and that the APC and the Federal Government had misinterpreted his comments.

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The PDP argued that Governor Makinde had merely used history to caution the ruling party and national institutions about the consequences of suppressing opposition voices, stating that "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."

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The party claimed that only those with a guilty conscience could interpret Governor Makinde's words as a call to violence, emphasizing that those who fail to learn from history are often doomed to repeat it.

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According to the PDP, Governor Makinde's remarks served as a reminder that when political greed replaces patriotism and good governance, and public frustration continues to build, the outcome could be severe, with the party stating that "Governor Makinde offered a sobering reminder that when insatiable political greed and avarice replace patriotism and good governance… the resultant conflagration will be of immeasurable proportion."

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The PDP further alleged that the APC was creating conditions similar to those that led to the "wetie" crisis, accusing the ruling party of pursuing "elected totalitarianism" and attempting to stifle opposition voices.

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The party recalled statements made by APC figures while in opposition, including the "baboon and blood narrative," and argued that the ruling party lacked the moral authority to accuse others of inciting violence, pointing out that "when the APC was in opposition, they did not merely threaten violence, they openly promised to make the country ungovernable."

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The PDP warned that it would continue to resist attempts to establish a one-party state, and that opposition parties would adopt stronger legal and democratic measures to protect Nigeria's democracy.

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The party concluded by stating that responsibility for any violence before or after the 2027 elections would rest with the Federal Government, APC, INEC, and other institutions responsible for safeguarding democratic processes.