The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 18 presidential candidates for the January 2027 election in Nigeria. Only two of the candidates are women: Ada Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Esther Nkem Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM). The final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates was published by INEC on September 12. The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027.
Ada Okwori, 48, is an Idoma from Benue State and the founder of the National Democratic Party (NDP). She serves as the party's chairperson and her running mate is Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka, also 48. Okwori emerged as the party's presidential candidate through a consensus arrangement at its primary. The NDP had initially faced challenges with INEC, which rejected its registration, prompting Okwori to seek legal redress.
Esther Nkem Okereke, 43, is a Nollywood actress-turned-politician who was selected as the NRM's presidential candidate through consensus at the party's convention in Abuja on May 29. Her running mate is Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman, 35. Okereke's campaign platform, known as the "ESTHER Agenda", focuses on education, security, technology, housing, entrepreneurship, and restitution.
Okwori and Okereke will contest against prominent candidates, including President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress. The two women have presented their visions for Nigeria's future, with Okwori pledging to allocate 15 per cent of the national budget to education if elected.
Ada Okwori has emphasized that the NDP will not serve 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's party was registered by INEC in March 2026, following a Federal High Court directive.
Esther Nkem Okereke has expressed concerns about Nigeria's democracy, describing it as "bleeding" amid poverty and insecurity. She has pledged to take emergency measures in the education sector and address power supply. Okereke's charity foundation experience has informed her approach to politics, and she believes that the country's system needs to be fixed from the top.
The 2027 presidential election in Nigeria will be a significant event, with 18 candidates vying for the top position. The two female candidates, Ada Okwori and Esther Nkem Okereke, bring unique perspectives and experiences to the contest. The election is scheduled for January 16, 2027, and Nigerians will have the opportunity to choose their next leader.
Key points
- Only two women are among the 18 presidential candidates cleared by INEC for the 2027 election in Nigeria.
- Ada Okwori and Esther Nkem Okereke have presented their visions for Nigeria's future, focusing on education, women's empowerment, and economic development.
- The 2027 presidential election in Nigeria will feature a diverse range of candidates, including incumbent President Bola Tinubu and prominent opposition figures.
