The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam, has raised alarm over what he described as a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism following Tuesday’s violent chaos at Wadata Plaza, the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a strongly worded statement in Abuja on Wednesday, Gabam said the incident was not an isolated altercation but a “brazen display of anarchy” that reflects a deeper pattern of using state institutions to suppress dissenting voices.

According to him, eyewitness accounts suggest an emerging trend where state structures are allegedly deployed to intimidate political opponents, a development he warned could erode public trust and destabilise Nigeria’s democratic system.

“The spectacle witnessed at Wadata Plaza shows a disturbing repurposing of state machinery to silence dissent,” Gabam said. “Such actions weaken the rule of law and threaten the very foundations of our democracy. No entity should feel above the constitutional order that protects citizens’ rights.”

He accused security agencies of abandoning their primary responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, alleging that they were instead being used as tools to harass political rivals.

“When law enforcement becomes an instrument of intimidation, the social contract collapses,” he said. “Citizens deserve assurance that security forces will act impartially, not as partisan enforcers.”

Gabam linked the Wadata Plaza incident to broader national instability, citing the killing of a Brigadier General in Borno State and the abduction of students in Kebbi State as urgent crises demanding the President’s attention.

“The nation is grieving. These are the issues that require decisive leadership—not partisan battles,” he added.

The SDP chairman also warned that Nigeria was witnessing a repeated cycle of political manipulation through abuse of constitutional processes, recalling that similar tactics were used to destabilise the SDP in the past.

“What happened to the SDP is now threatening the PDP,” he said. “Exploiting state machinery for partisan gain sets a dangerous precedent that could unravel hard-won democratic gains.”

Gabam reminded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of his own history as a leading figure in the opposition, whose rise was made possible through democratic struggles and coalition-building.

He cautioned that the sacrifices made to entrench democracy must not be eroded under the President’s watch.

“It is his duty to uphold the values that brought him to office—respect for dissent, strong institutions, and national unity,” Gabam stated.

He stressed that Nigeria’s challenges should serve as a rallying point for unity, not an opportunity for political division.

“President Tinubu must take full responsibility for safeguarding our democracy and ensuring security agencies serve all citizens without bias,” he concluded. “Nigeria’s peace must never be bargained away.”