Three women have officially entered the race to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the January 16, 2027 presidential election. Dr Esther Nkem Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Anita Zugwai-Chukwu of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Ada Fredrick of the National Democratic Party (NDP) are the last women standing after party primaries concluded.
This is the highest number of female presidential candidates since 2019, when six women ran but collectively won just 25,594 votes. Back then, 73 candidates were on the ballot, so women made up 8.22 percent. This time, with only 14 candidates expected to remain on the final ballot, women account for 21.43 percent.
But history shows that getting on the ballot is the easy part. No woman has ever come close to winning the presidency. The best performance by a female candidate remains Sarah Jubril's 157,560 votes in 2003 under the Progressive Action Congress (PAC). Since then, the numbers have dropped. In 2007, Major Mojisola Adekunle Obasanjo (retd) got just 4,309 votes.
In 2011, Ebiti Ndok polled 21,203 votes. In 2015, Oluremi Sonaiya managed 13,076 votes. In 2023, Princess Chichi Ojei of the Allied Peoples Movement scored 10,613 votes.
Dr Okereke emerged as NRM's candidate through consensus at the party's national convention in Abuja, beating two other aspirants: Ademola Joseph Onigbokun and Oluwadare Joseph Faduri. She described her nomination as a sacred assignment and a call to service. She said she wants to restore hope and rebuild the country.
"The truth must be told boldly: Nigeria today is battling systemic failure caused by poor leadership, corruption, selfishness and lack of vision," Okereke said.
She criticised politics driven by the struggle for power rather than service, and said governance should be transformational, not transactional. Okereke lamented that millions are trapped in poverty, insecurity, and economic uncertainty despite Nigeria's vast resources. She pointed to families without electricity, unemployed graduates, farmers who can't access their land due to insecurity, and businesses collapsing under harsh economic conditions.
Okereke expressed optimism that Nigeria can overcome its challenges through courageous and purposeful leadership. She promised stable electricity, thriving businesses, and opportunities for youths.
The other two candidates, Zugwai-Chukwu and Fredrick, also said they have the quality to make a difference if elected. Details of their campaign platforms are expected in the coming weeks.
With 18 flag bearers initially but only 14 expected to remain after factional disputes are sorted, the three women face an uphill battle. President Tinubu, the APC candidate, has the advantage of incumbency and a well-funded campaign machinery. But the women are banking on voter frustration with the economy and insecurity to make inroads.
For now, they've already made history just by getting this far. Whether they can translate that into votes will be tested on election day.