Omanghana
Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori and Esther Nkem Okereke have emerged as the only two women among the 18 presidential candidates cleared to contest Nigeria’s 2027 general election.
The final list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission shows that 16 of the presidential candidates are men, leaving women with just 11.1 per cent representation in the race for the country’s highest political office.
Okwori is contesting on the ticket of the National Democratic Party, while Okereke will represent the National Rescue Movement. They will compete against prominent candidates, including incumbent President Bola Tinubu, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi.
Okwori, a lawyer and advocate for gender equality, founded the NDP in 2025. The party presents itself as an alternative political movement focused on restoring public confidence in government and widening democratic participation. Her candidacy was confirmed through a consensus process during the party’s presidential primaries.
Her campaign places particular emphasis on increasing the participation of women and young people in national decision-making. The NDP has also promised to promote inclusive governance, reduce waste in the public sector and create greater opportunities for communities that have traditionally been excluded from political power.
Okereke, an actress, producer and politician, secured the NRM presidential ticket at the party’s convention in Abuja. Her campaign is built around a policy framework known as the “ESTHER Agenda.”
The acronym represents Education, Security, Technology, Housing, Entrepreneurship and Restitution. Okereke has promised urgent reforms in education and electricity, modernization of Nigeria’s security system, digitalization of government services, affordable healthcare and housing, support for entrepreneurs and stronger institutional accountability.
The limited number of women on the presidential ballot has renewed debate about gender representation in Nigerian politics. Although women constitute a significant proportion of the population and electorate, they remain considerably underrepresented in elective and appointed offices.
Four women also appear on the final list of vice-presidential candidates: Peace Egobia of the Action Peoples Party, Nafisat Usaku of the Democratic Labor Alliance, Hajja Konto of the Labor Party and Patience Key of the Young Progressive Party.
Gender disparities are also evident in the National Assembly contests. Of the 4,408 candidates seeking Senate and House of Representatives seats, 443 are women. The Senate race has 115 women among 1,195 candidates, while 328 women are among the 3,213 candidates contesting House of Representatives seats.
INEC published the final presidential list following the conclusion of party primaries conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
Nigeria’s presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state House of Assembly elections will be held on February 6, 2027.
The candidacies of Okwori and Okereke represent an important moment for women seeking greater influence in Nigeria’s political system. However, the overwhelming number of male candidates across the various contests shows that substantial barriers to equal political representation remain.
Source: Omanghana
