Former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, says he would accept President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the 2027 presidential election as the decision of Nigerians.
Dalung made the statement during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, aired on Monday.
The former minister said he would not attribute a possible defeat of the opposition to the inability of its coalition to unite if Tinubu is re-elected.
“I will accept it as a verdict of Nigerians. It will mean that we are not on the same page with Nigerians as to the issues of the sovereignty of this country,” he said.
“I’m not going to blame it on the coalition, because the coalition is speaking on behalf of the Nigerian people, who have sovereignty, who have the power to determine who governs them.
“So, if they elect Bola Tinubu in 2027 as a democrat, I will accept it as a verdict of the people.”
Dalung’s remarks came about two weeks after six opposition parties proposed establishing a “government of national competence” to serve a single four-year transitional term ahead of the 2027 general election.
The proposal was presented at an opposition political parties’ summit organised by G100 in Abuja.
The parties represented at the gathering were the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Salihu Lukman, a former vice-chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), presented the proposal at the summit.
He said the proposed administration would be based on four principles: competence, integrity, national inclusion and fair representation.
The opposition parties also proposed an enforceable transition charter aimed at ensuring that participating parties adhere to the agreement.
Under the proposed arrangement, the coalition would establish a central leadership committee, a publicity and communication committee, as well as a legal committee.
It would also establish working groups focused on democratic renewal, the single-term transition charter, national reforms, opposition unity and the selection of a joint presidential candidate.