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Notable Nollywood actress and film producer, Esther Okereke, has emerged as the presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) ahead of the 2027 general election.

Okereke secured the party’s ticket on Friday after defeating former Labour Party presidential aspirant, Joseph Faduri, and UK-based businessman, Ademola Onigbokun, at the NRM presidential primary held in Abuja.

Her emergence places her among the few women to secure the presidential ticket of a political party in Nigeria’s democratic history, as political parties begin early preparations for the 2027 election cycle.

Okereke is now expected to join other opposition figures seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive presidential contest.

Presenting Okereke to delegates as the party’s flag bearer, the National Chairman of the NRM, Chinedu Obi, said the party was determined to offer Nigerians a leadership that could address the country’s economic and security challenges.

Obi said the state of the nation required urgent and purposeful leadership, adding that the party’s mission was anchored on what he described as a national rescue agenda.

He said, “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.”

The NRM chairman also spoke about the plight of Nigerians affected by insecurity across the country, including those kidnapped, displaced or forced to live in fear because of violence.

He said, “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.”

Obi said the primary was more than a regular political gathering, describing it as a step towards offering Nigerians a new leadership direction.

According to him, the NRM wants to prove that the country can still work if the right leadership is put in place.

He added, “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 chairman said the NRM would continue to focus on issues affecting ordinary Nigerians, including poverty, insecurity, unemployment and the high cost of living.

In her acceptance speech, Okereke described her nomination as a call to national service and not a platform for personal ambition.

She said, “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.”

The actress and filmmaker said her decision to accept the ticket was driven by her concern about the hardship faced by many Nigerians.

She painted a grim picture of the country’s socio-economic situation, citing poverty, unemployment, insecurity, failing businesses and worsening living conditions.

Okereke said, “Our nation is bleeding. Millions of our people are trapped in pain, poverty, fear and uncertainty.”

She added, “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.”

Okereke said Nigeria was facing what she called “systemic failure,” but insisted that the country still had the capacity to recover if citizens embraced hope and responsible leadership.

She maintained that the suffering in the country should not be treated as permanent, saying there was still room for restoration and a better future.

According to her, “Beyond the suffering, there is restoration, hope and a greater Nigerian future waiting to emerge.”

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The leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has formally welcomed former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, and former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei, into the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dickson disclosed this in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Thursday, May 28, 2026, where he also announced that the party had granted both politicians waivers to participate in the NDC senatorial primaries scheduled for Friday.

According to him, Omo-Agege and Ochei would contest in their respective senatorial districts under the platform of the party.

“It was a pleasure to warmly receive Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, CFR, former Deputy Senate President, into our great party, alongside Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.

“I am also pleased to announce that the NDC has not only received them warmly but has equally granted them waivers to contest in the senatorial primaries in their respective districts tomorrow,” Dickson stated.

The latest development comes amid ongoing political realignments in Delta State following Omo-Agege’s recent resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Earlier on Thursday, Omo-Agege officially confirmed his defection to the NDC and declared his intention to contest the Delta Central Senatorial seat in the 2027 elections.

Multiple reports also confirmed that the NDC leadership approved waivers for both Omo-Agege and Ochei to participate in the primaries despite their recent entry into the party.

Dickson explained that the decision followed weeks of consultations aimed at strengthening the NDC’s structure in the South-South region and across Nigeria.

“This development is the result of several weeks of consultations aimed at strengthening the foundations of our party in the South-South region and across the country,” he added.

He further urged party members and supporters to embrace the new entrants and work together toward the party’s electoral ambitions ahead of 2027.

The defection of Omo-Agege, a former APC governorship candidate in Delta State, alongside the movement of other political figures into the NDC, is expected to reshape political calculations in the state as parties intensify preparations for the next election cycle.

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Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar has taken what appears to be an unassailable lead in the 2027 presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which started yesterday, Monday, May 25, 2026.

He as so far won over 160,000 votes from three states, with Amaechi winning only one state and garnering about 7,000 votes, while Hayatu-Deen has yet to win a state. Atiku has won Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara, while Amaechi won Ebonyi.

The Zamfara chapter of ADC over-night declared Atiku as the winner of its presidential primary election in the state.

The Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primary Election Committee and Returning Officer for the exercise, Namadi Musa, announced the results on Monday in Gusau.

Musa said Abubakar polled 60,500 votes to defeat two other aspirants, Dr Mohammed Hayatuddeen, who scored 446 votes, and Rotimi Amaechi, who secured 191 votes.

He explained that the primary was conducted across all 147 wards in the 14 Local Government Areas of Zamfara in line with the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2026.

According to him, 63,484 party members were registered for the exercise, and 61,137 votes were cast.

“Having fulfilled the ADC guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2026, and having scored the highest votes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is hereby returned as the party’s presidential candidate in Zamfara,” Musa declared.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Collation Officer for the Zamfara ADC Presidential Primary, Mikailu Barau, handed the collated results to the returning officer after the 14 local government party chairmen declared results from their areas.

Musa commended party members and stakeholders for their support, noting that the exercise was conducted peacefully across the state.

The collation and announcement of results were done in the presence of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and other stakeholders.

NAN further reports that the results were announced in the presence of officials from the Election and Political Party Monitoring Department of the INEC.

The officials said they monitored every stage of the process, from the State Assembly and Governorship primaries to the House of Representatives, Senatorial, and Presidential primaries.

The head of the INEC team, Mr Lawal Aliyu, advised party officials to adhere strictly to the commission’s guidelines and the Electoral Act, 2026.

He said INEC would remain neutral and ensure a level playing field for all contestants in the electoral process.

Aliyu also urged stakeholders to mobilise prospective voters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to participate in the general elections.

NAN reports that the ADC State Chairman, Shehu Maishanu, local government chairmen of the party, and candidates for State Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senatorial seats attended the event.

In Yobe, Atiku won the presidential primary with 44,841 votes.

Hajiya Ma’am Kyari, chairperson of the electoral committee in Yobe, announced the result on Monday in Damaturu.

Kyari said Mr Rotimi Amaechi secured 300 votes, while Mr Mohamed Hayatudeen polled 365 votes during the exercise.

She declared Atiku winner after securing the highest number of valid votes cast in the primary election.

“Having scored the highest number of valid votes cast, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is hereby declared winner of the ADC presidential primary election in Yobe State,” she said.

Kyari described the exercise as peaceful and conducted in line with the party’s guidelines.

She commended party members, officials and security agencies for ensuring a smooth process across the state.

The chairperson also praised aspirants and their supporters for maintaining decorum throughout the exercise.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Kassim Geidam, ADC governorship candidate in Yobe, described the primary as peaceful and successful.

Geidam said party supporters and stakeholders across Zones A, B and C actively participated in the process.

He commended party executives, security agencies and traditional rulers for supporting the peaceful conduct of the election.

The governorship candidate also appreciated media practitioners for their professionalism during the exercise.

Yesterday evening, Atiku had won the ADC presidential primary in Sokoto State by a wide margin.

Announcing the results on Monday, Chief Collation Officer, Prof. Aminu Abubakar, said Atiku secured 68,823 votes across the 23 local government areas.

Prof. Abubakar said 69,434 votes were cast during the exercise conducted across the state.

According to him, Amaechi, polled 292 votes.

But in Ebonyi, Amaechi secured 6,050 votes to emerge victorious, while Hayatu-Ddeen garnered 4,840 votes to come second, with Atiku coming a distant third with 1,210 votes. (Based largely on NAN reports)