“Retrace Your Steps, We Have Enough Problems, Don’t Add Political Crisis”, ACF Warns INEC, FG

By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Federal Government against indulging in acts capable of escalating the already precarious security situation in the country.

This is as the body rejected INEC’s planned voter revalidation exercise.

The apex socio-cultural organization of Northern Nigeria said that the country is already facing enough challenges in all fronts, warning against moves that could imperil national security ,and unity of the country.

The ACF warning is coming amidst the controversy and tension generated within the polity by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s decision to withdraw recognition for the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee NEC of the opposition Coalition platform the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

The electoral umpire, citing a subsisting Court of Appeal order on the leadership tussle in the ADC on Wednesday April 1,2026 opted to maintain the status quo ante bellum by way of not recognizing both the Bala Nafiu Gombe and Mark leadership of the party.

But speaking in an interview with the Leadership, spokesperson for the ACF, Prof. A Muhammad-Baba, described the action of INEC as a recipe for a political crisis that could endanger the 2027 general elections,as well as national security.

The ACF spokesperson expressed serious concern that democracy in Nigeria is being threatened by those who could pass as its greatest beneficiaries.

“The only thing I can tell you is that it is very, very unfortunate (INEC’s withdrawal of recognition for David Mark-led NEC and Voter revalidation exercise) because it looks like those who are beneficiaries of democracy are now trying to destroy democracy in Nigeria.

“The path INEC is now taking in not just delisting ADC leadership, but in asking people to revalidate their permanent voters’ card are for me a landmine . We  hope it is not a landmine .But it looks like a landmine.

” It looks like every step taken by INEC or the political authorities is putting the 2027 election in jeopardy.

“It is not too late, and we hope we call on the Government, we call on INEC, we call on all those concerned to retrace their steps ,and stand by the principles and tenets of democracy.

“Otherwise, all these things really portend a crisis. We have enough. We have enough problems with insecurity. We have enough problems with economic hardship.

“We don’t want to add political crisis that could seriously endanger national security. So we call on all to please retrace  their steps” ACF stated .

According to the ACF, the proposed Voter revalidation exercise and the controversial delisting of the Mark-led ADC leadership are steps that are capable of not only undermining public confidence in the electoral process ,but also compromising the national security.