The governorship candidate of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) in Adamawa State, Professor Vadlya Tame, has denied endorsing President Bola Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 presidential election.
Tame said he was not present at the press conference where some DLA governorship candidates reportedly declared support for Tinubu.
He also denied authorising anyone to include his name among those who endorsed the president.
In a statement personally signed by him, the Adamawa governorship hopeful said he was in Yola, the state capital, when the reported endorsement took place in Abuja.
He said his name was included in media reports published on October 16, 2026, concerning the purported endorsement by a forum of DLA governorship candidates.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I was not present at the said meeting or press conference in Abuja. I was in Yola, Adamawa State, and did not attend the event reported by these media organisations, neither did I give any consent to be included,” he said.
Tame stressed that the appearance of his name on the list of attendees did not establish his participation in the meeting or indicate his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He added that he had neither personally endorsed the president nor communicated any such decision at the event.
The DLA candidate said the party’s national leadership would determine its position on the 2027 presidential election, adding that he was awaiting an official directive from the National Chairman.
He said, “We await the official position and direction of the National Chairman of our party on the matter.”
Tame urged media organisations that published the reports to take note of his clarification and ensure that the public record accurately reflected his position.
He said political preferences and decisions should be reported accurately, particularly when individuals are linked to meetings they did not attend or declarations they did not make.
The Adamawa candidate reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing his political ambition under the DLA platform, citing truth, responsible leadership, party discipline and democratic engagement as his guiding principles.
His clarification comes amid a dispute between the DLA national leadership and its Taraba State governorship candidate, Aboki Bayonga, over the reported endorsement of Tinubu.
Bayonga had on Friday, October 16, led a forum of DLA governorship candidates in declaring support for the president’s second-term bid while maintaining that the candidates would remain in the party and contest their respective positions under its platform.
However, the DLA national leadership subsequently disowned the endorsement, stating that it had not authorised any candidate or group to endorse a political figure outside the party’s platform.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the party’s National Chairman and Leader, Samuel Memeh, said the national leadership became aware of the development through reports circulating on social media on October 16.
Memeh said the party had invited Bayonga to appear before its Disciplinary Committee to explain his role in the reported endorsement.
He warned that the DLA would not tolerate unauthorised political commitments or actions capable of undermining its unity, credibility and collective interests.
The party also said appropriate disciplinary measures would be taken if investigations established that its constitution or rules had been violated.
Memeh urged party members and the public not to draw premature conclusions while the disciplinary process was ongoing, assuring them that the matter would be handled fairly and in accordance with established procedures.
He added that the DLA was repositioning ahead of the 2027 general elections by strengthening its structures, consolidating its ideology and promoting internal discipline and accountability.
The party leadership called on its candidates, members and supporters to focus on building its structures and preparing for the forthcoming elections.