2027 Presidency: Meet Two Women on the Ballot Against Tinubu, Atiku, Obi
Only two women are among the presidential candidates listed for Nigeria’s 2027 general election, with Ada Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Esther Nkem Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) set to contest the presidency.
The two women are among the candidates listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the presidential election. INEC has published an official presidential candidates list for the 2027 election.
Okwori, 48, is an Idoma from Benue State and the national chairman of the NDP. Her running mate is Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka, also aged 48.
According to the NDP, the party was registered after Okwori challenged an earlier rejection of its application in court. The party says a Federal High Court subsequently directed INEC to register it, leading to its registration in March 2026.
Okwori emerged as the party’s presidential candidate through a consensus arrangement at its primary.
In an interview with Women News Today, she said the NDP would not operate as a platform for political godfathers. She also proposed that women should occupy at least 40 per cent of the party’s executive positions and candidate slots.
Okwori further proposed allocating 15 per cent of the national budget to education.
INEC currently recognises the National Democratic Party and lists Okwori as its national chairman by court order.
Okereke’s ‘ESTHER Agenda’
Okereke, 43, is a Nollywood actress-turned-politician who was selected as the NRM’s presidential candidate through a consensus arrangement at the party’s convention in Abuja on May 29.
Her running mate is 35-year-old Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman.
Her campaign platform, known as the “ESTHER Agenda”, focuses on education, security, technology, housing, entrepreneurship and restitution.
Okereke has also promised what she described as emergency action in the education and power sectors.
Speaking in Abuja on June 12, she said Nigeria’s democracy was “bleeding” amid poverty and insecurity.
In a July interview with TheCable Lifestyle, Okereke said her experience running a charity foundation without grants or external support convinced her that changes were needed at the highest levels of government.
She also said she did not consider women marginalised, arguing instead that many were “scared to come out” and participate in politics.
Four women as vice-presidential candidates
Beyond the two women leading presidential tickets, four other women are listed as vice-presidential candidates.
They are Peace Egobia of the Allied Peoples Party, Nafisat Usaku of the Democratic Leadership Alliance, Hajja Bintu Konto of the Labour Party and Patience Key of the Young Progressive Party.
Both female presidential candidates have male running mates.
The field also previously included Anita Zugwai-Chukwu as the Young Progressive Party’s presidential candidate. She was adopted by the party on May 30 but withdrew in August. The party said she withdrew voluntarily and subsequently selected Peter Agada as its presidential candidate, with Key becoming his running mate.
The participation of the two female presidential candidates comes amid longstanding calls by women’s groups for greater representation of women in political and public offices.
The 2027 presidential election is scheduled by INEC as part of the national elections, with the commission having formally released the timetable and schedule of activities for the polls.
