• Nollywood actress and producer Esther Okereke wins the National Rescue Movement presidential ticket for 2027 election
• Her emergence places her among the few women to secure a presidential ticket in Nigeria’s democratic history
• Okereke called her nomination a “sacred assignment” and pledged commitment to national service

Popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker Esther Okereke has emerged as the presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement ahead of the 2027 general election, joining the growing list of opposition figures preparing to challenge President Bola Tinubu.

Okereke clinched the party’s ticket on Friday, May 29, during the NRM presidential primary held in Abuja, defeating former Labour Party presidential aspirant Joseph Faduri and UK-based businessman Ademola Onigbokun.

Her emergence makes her one of the few women in Nigeria’s democratic history to secure a presidential ticket as political parties begin early positioning for the 2027 race.

Speaking while presenting the party’s flag bearer to delegates, NRM National Chairman, Chinedu Obi, said the party was determined to provide leadership capable of addressing Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges.

“For years, global reports repeatedly described Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world, a title no nation should wear with comfort and no leadership should accept with resignation,” Obi stated.

He said the party remained committed to rescuing the country from insecurity, economic hardship, and social instability.

“We remember our fellow citizens presently held captive in kidnappers’ dens, uncertain of what tomorrow may bring. We remember families displaced by terrorism, banditry, insurgency and communal conflicts,” he added.

According to him, the emergence of the party’s presidential candidate represented more than a routine political exercise.

“Today, as we elect the presidential flag bearer of our party for the 2027 election, it is not just one of those gatherings of politicians. It is a march towards providing visionary and proactive leadership for a nation in dire need of rescue,” Obi said.

In her acceptance speech, Okereke described her nomination as a “sacred assignment” and a call to national service rather than personal ambition.

“I accept this nomination not for personal glory but as a sacred assignment. I accept it as a call to service because of my belief that Nigeria shall rise and work again,” she declared.

The actress-turned-politician painted a grim picture of the country’s socio-economic condition, highlighting widespread poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and rising hardship across the nation.

“Our nation is bleeding. Millions of our people are trapped in pain, poverty, fear and uncertainty,” she said.

She lamented the state of the power sector, unemployment among graduates, and the struggles faced by business owners under harsh economic realities.

“Families sleep in darkness in a nation overflowing with energy resources. Graduates roam the streets without jobs. Businesses collapse under the weight of economic hardship,” Okereke stated.

Despite the challenges, she expressed optimism that the country could still recover from what she described as systemic failure.

“Beyond the suffering, there is restoration, hope and a greater Nigerian future waiting to emerge,” she added.

Her candidacy further expands the list of aspirants and opposition figures expected to shape what could become one of Nigeria’s most competitive presidential elections in recent history.

Sowore confirms presidential ambition as AAC set for primaries

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, confirmed that he will contest the 2027 presidential election.

When asked whether he would emerge as the party’s sole candidate, Sowore avoided giving a direct answer, insisting that the decision rests with party members.