Social crusader, Olufemi Aduwo, has faulted the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its criticism of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, describing the party’s accusation of incitement against the governor as misguided and politically motivated.

Aduwo, who is the Permanent Representative of the Centre for Convention on Democratic Integrity (CCDI) to the United Nations, said the ruling party misrepresented the context of Makinde’s reference to “Operation Wetie.”

He said the governor’s remarks were cautionary and intended to remind political actors of the dangers associated with undermining democratic processes and allowing political arrogance to go unchecked.

According to him, interpreting the historical reference as an endorsement of violence amounted to a distortion of its meaning.

Aduwo said the APC’s reaction reflected a failure to appreciate the significance of historical analogies in political discourse.

He argued that references to past events should be seen as warnings against repeating mistakes rather than attempts to inflame tensions.

The rights advocate also expressed concern over what he described as attempts to weaken historical consciousness and suppress dissenting opinions in the political space.

He warned that deliberate misrepresentation of public statements could pose risks to Nigeria’s democratic stability and deepen political mistrust.

Aduwo urged the APC to focus on introspection instead of attributing motives to political opponents.

He added that Nigeria needed a political culture built on honesty, maturity and issue-based engagement rather than propaganda and needless controversy.

“Operation Wetie served as a sober reminder of the catastrophic consequences that occur when democratic processes are subverted and political arrogance festers unchecked.

“To interpret this warning as a call to violence is intellectually dishonest. By attempting to criminalize a legitimate historical reference, the APC exposes an unease with the truth and a discomfort with the lessons of unchecked political excess.”