The National Rescue Movement (NRM) has elected Dr Esther Okereke as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The announcement was made on Friday in Abuja during the party’s 2027 national convention and presidential primary election, where party leaders described her emergence as the outcome of a completed screening and selection process.
National Chairman of the NRM, Prince Chinedu Obi, who unveiled Okereke as the party’s flag bearer, said Nigeria’s future could be rebuilt through visionary leadership and collective sacrifice.
He described the convention as a moment of national responsibility, noting that the turnout of delegates despite the country’s security challenges reflected commitment to democratic ideals.
Obi expressed concern over worsening insecurity across the country and sympathised with victims of kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, communal clashes and displacement.
He also highlighted the struggles of farmers unable to access their farmlands, as well as rising hunger, unemployment and economic hardship affecting millions of Nigerians.
According to him, Nigeria’s challenges are not due to a lack of resources but leadership failures that have weakened institutions and stalled development.
“Nigeria possesses abundant mineral resources, fertile land, energetic youths and entrepreneurial citizens, yet millions remain trapped in poverty because of poor governance and weak institutions,” he said.
He added that the NRM was committed to rejecting the notion that poverty, insecurity and corruption are inevitable, insisting the country can still achieve stability and progress with the right leadership.
Obi said the party was founded on principles of national transformation, accountability, social justice and the rule of law, rather than mere political competition.
He outlined the party’s “Rescue Nigeria Blueprint,” which contains 24 policy pillars covering security, education, healthcare, economic reform, agriculture, infrastructure and institutional strengthening.
He pledged that the NRM would modernise the security architecture, boost intelligence operations, revive agriculture and promote industrial growth if elected into office.
In her acceptance speech, Okereke said Nigeria’s political space had been reduced to a struggle for power rather than governance, promising a shift in focus if elected president.
She unveiled the “ESTHER Agenda,” a policy framework she said would guide her leadership vision, anchored on Education, Security, Technology, Housing, Entrepreneurship and Restitution.
According to her, the agenda is aimed at restoring national values, rebuilding patriotism and driving inclusive development across the country.
Okereke thanked party delegates for the confidence reposed in her and pledged to run a campaign centred on national renewal and responsible leadership.
