Nollywood actress and film producer, Esther Okereke, has emerged as the presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) for the 2027 general election.
Ms Okereke secured the party’s ticket at the NRM National Convention and presidential primary held in Abuja on Friday, becoming the party’s first female presidential flag bearer ahead of the next election cycle in January.
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Ms Okereke is the first actress in Nigeria’s history to run for president, and her candidacy adds to the list of actresses who have broken barriers in the country’s male-dominated political space.
Filmmaker Funke Akindele ran as deputy governor under the Peoples Democratic Party in 2023. Actress Tonto Dikeh also ran as deputy Governor under the African Democratic Congress in 2023.
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Ms Okereke will now face other presidential flagbearers, including President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
Other women who have secured party presidential tickets for the 2027 election include Anita Zugwai-Chukwu of the YPP and Ada Fredrick Okwori of the NDP.
‘Proactive leadership’
The actress-turned-politician was unveiled by NRM National Chairman, Chinedu Obi, who said the party was committed to providing the leadership needed to address Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
According to Mr Obi, the country is facing deep-rooted problems that require visionary leadership and decisive action.
“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,” he said.
The party chairman also highlighted the plight of Nigerians affected by insecurity across the country.
“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, many of whom remain in Internally Displaced Persons camps across our country,” Mr Obi said.
He added that the 2027 election presents an opportunity to chart a new course for the nation.
“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 and proving that Nigeria can work again,” the party chair said.
‘Sacred assignment’
In her acceptance speech, Ms 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 said.
The presidential candidate painted a grim picture of the country’s current realities, citing widespread poverty, unemployment, insecurity and economic hardship.
“Our nation is bleeding. Millions of our people are trapped in pain, poverty, fear and uncertainty.
“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,” she stated.
Despite the challenges, the actress expressed optimism about Nigeria’s future, saying the country could overcome its difficulties through responsible and people-centred leadership.
She said her vision is to build a nation driven by unity, innovation, economic growth and inclusive development, adding that Nigeria’s current struggles should not define its future.
Career
Before entering national politics, she built a career in Nollywood as an actress and producer.
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Ms Okereke has featured in films including A Woman’s Plight, Wedding Saga, Crux, Enigma, Rebellion, Venom, Silent Sound, The Revealing, The Expected and My Wife and I.
Ms Okereke’s emergence reflects the growing involvement of Nollywood figures in political space ahead of the 2027 elections.
Other Nollywood figures seeking elective office ahead of the 2027 elections include Emeka Ike, Zubby Michael, Foluke Daramola-Salako, and Eniola Badmus.
Meanwhile, actress Doris Ogala won the Abia governorship ticket under the African Action Congress (AAC).
