The presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement, Esther Okereke, has urged Nigerians to give a woman the opportunity to lead the country, arguing that years of male-dominated leadership have failed to deliver the desired results.
Okereke made the call on Wednesday during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, while outlining her priorities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
She said some Nigerians had questioned whether a woman could successfully lead the country, but challenged them to reconsider their position in view of the country’s experience with male leaders.
“Do you think a man who has failed for over 20 years should continue? If you don’t think so, then give this woman a chance,” she said.
However, the NRM candidate stressed that her ambition was not based on gender politics but on her proposed plans for addressing Nigeria’s challenges.
“By the way, I’m not here for gender politics. I’m here with accountability. I’m here with a blueprint, a plan, a framework to rescue,” she said.
Nigeria has never elected a woman as president. Okereke is one of two women among the 18 presidential candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 election. The other is Ada Okwori of the National Democratic Party.
Okereke identified unreliable electricity supply as one of the first issues she would tackle if elected, saying the crisis had contributed to business losses and job cuts.
She argued that small and medium-sized businesses struggled to remain profitable because of power outages and the cost of alternative energy sources. She also said reliable electricity was essential for expanding technology use and improving economic activities.
The candidate further pledged to tackle insecurity, which she said was discouraging Nigerians abroad from returning home to invest.
“I have lots of friends that want to come back home to invest, not as charity, but as partners, for us to build Nigeria,” she said.
“But when you tackle the insecurity, you would have lots of people coming home, you know, peacefully.”
Okereke also criticised the practice of repairing roads shortly before political leaders visit, insisting that infrastructure maintenance should be part of routine governance rather than an exercise to impress visiting officials.
“If you have decided to go into public office, just have it at the back of your mind that you’re a servant. You’re here to serve the people, and that’s how it should be,” she said.
On governance, she said her campaign was built around grassroots participation, arguing that citizens should remain partners in decision-making after elections rather than being treated merely as sources of votes.
“You don’t just need the grassroots for votes. You need them for partnership,” she said, adding that elected leaders should provide updates and answer questions from the people.
She said her proposed governance framework would also prioritise housing and healthcare, particularly services for people at the grassroots.
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