Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has denied reports that he plans to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesperson, Dr Dominic Alancha, Dogara described the reports as false, saying he remains a loyal member of the ruling party.

“We wish to state categorically that these claims are false, baseless, and deliberately intended to mislead the public and create unnecessary political tension,” Alancha said.

He added, “Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara remains a committed and loyal member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He has neither resigned from the party nor expressed any intention to do so.”

The statement also blamed “mischief makers seeking to sow division within the APC” for spreading the rumours.

According to Alancha, Dogara is focused on strengthening the APC ahead of the 2027 elections and working with party leaders and supporters across the country.

The statement further said, “Rt. Hon. Dogara is committed to supporting the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and ensuring the victory of the APC in the 2027 general election.”

He urged the public and the media to ignore unverified reports and rely only on official information.

A faction of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, led by its National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, has called on former vice President Atiku Abubakar to immediately desist from parading himself as the party’s 2027 presidential candidate.

In a statement he issued on Tuesday, Nafiu noted that Atiku Abubakar, “is not and has never been the Presidential Candidate of the ADC for the 2027 General Elections”.

“We also give him a 7-day ultimatum to come out and tender a public apology to the members and stakeholders of the ADC for making unauthorized statements on behalf of the Party.

“Failure to comply with the above demand within the stipulated period, we shall seek appropriate legal redress”, he said.

He urged the former VP to “refrain forthwith from using the Party’s name, logo, and emblem in spreading falsehoods and misinformation about the ADC”.

Nafiu also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately remove the names of Senator David Mark-led members of the NWC from the Commission’s portal.

He also urged the commission to immediately upload and recognize what he termed the “only the authentic members” of the party’s NWC compliance with the recent judgment of the court.

According to him, the “judgment directed INEC to withdraw recognition from the David Mark-led NWC and further invalidate all decisions, resolutions, and actions taken by the committee.”

The Director General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Larne Issa-Onilu has called on the electorates in Osun State to resist all attempts by politicians or their agents to compromise their conscience and dignity through Inducement.

Issa-Onilu also appealed to political actors to conduct, their campaigns responsibly and avoid actions capable of undermining the credibility of the electoral process.

He gave this charge on Tuesday at the NOA, Osun Directorate press conference on voters education and sensitisation ahead of the August 15 Osun governorship election.

Represented by the NOA, Zonal Director for eye South West, Kehinde Ogunkunade, he said citizens must recognise that accepting money or gifts in exchange for their votes would have lasting consequences for governance and democratic accountability.

According to him, “Citizens must understand that the temporary financial gains from vote selling cannot compare with the long-term consequences of bad governance, poor infrastructure, unemployment, insecurity, and lack of social services. We must resist all attempts by politicians or their agents to compromise our conscience and dignity through inducement.”

The NOA Director-General also appealed to political parties and candidates to conduct their campaigns responsibly, stressing that elections should not be treated as warfare. He said violence, intimidation and destruction of property had no place in a democratic process.

Issa-Onilu called on young people across Osun State to refuse to participate in political violence or electoral disruption.

“The youths of Osun State must refuse to be used as instruments of violence, political thuggery, or electoral disruption. No political ambition is worth the loss of human lives,” he said.

He urged political parties, candidates, supporters and other stakeholders to embrace issue-based campaigns, tolerance, dialogue and peaceful coexistence before, during and after the election.

He also commended security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for preparations aimed at ensuring a peaceful and credible poll.

Speaking on voter participation, Issa-Onilu expressed concern over voter apathy, saying many citizens had become discouraged and believed their votes would not count. He described voting as both a civic duty and a patriotic responsibility.

He urged every eligible voter in Osun State to participate peacefully on election day without fear, intimidation or inducement. “Your vote remains your voice,” he told participants, adding that active participation was essential to strengthening democracy.

The NOA Director-General also linked the agency’s message to the National Values Charter, saying responsibility, integrity, patriotism, social justice and tolerance should guide citizens’ conduct throughout the electoral process.

He added that peaceful elections would strengthen national unity, promote development and increase public confidence in democratic institutions.

Meanwhile, the NOA, Osun State Director, Adebiyi Stephen Adefarasin, clarified that the agency had not accused any political party of initiating the recent spate of political violence in the state.

He said the agency remained neutral in carrying out its civic education mandate.

Adefarasin directed NOA orientation officers across all local government areas in Osun State to intensify voter education and sensitisation ahead of the election.

He also encouraged eligible voters to turn out peacefully on August 15 and freely vote for candidates of their choice.