By Atlantic Reports

The presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Dr Esther Okereke, says she is not intimidated by President Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi or other prominent contenders ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking during an interview in Abuja on Sunday, Okereke expressed confidence in her leadership capacity and the NRM’s vision for rebuilding Nigeria.

She argued that political credibility should rest on clear governance plans, accountability and effective service delivery, rather than the size of a party or how long its candidates had occupied the political stage.

‘Small but Mighty’

Describing the NRM as “small but mighty”, Okereke said its bee symbol reflected a commitment to productivity, public service and national development.

“We’re here to produce and feed, not to devour and eat,” she said.

Okereke maintained that candidates could significantly influence the visibility and appeal of their political parties. She cited Peter Obi’s association with the Labour Party as an example of how a prominent candidate could draw wider attention to a platform.

She said she intended to build similar recognition for the NRM.

“That is how I’m going to give that same big name to NRM,” she said.

According to Okereke, her decision to contest on the party’s platform was informed by shared commitments to accountability, structural reform and improved public services.

Nationwide Mobilisation Claims

Okereke said the NRM had established a mobilisation network across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and all 774 local government areas.

She claimed the party also had coordinators covering 176,974 polling units, alongside structures in wards, state and federal constituencies and the country’s 109 senatorial districts.

“Don’t forget I am a humanitarian in politics. So, we have our structure too,” she said.

She described the network as a system that could support her presidential bid and claimed that its communication arrangements allowed information to reach members nationwide in less than a minute.

The interview account did not provide documentation establishing the coverage or operational strength of those structures.

Okereke’s remarks positioned the NRM as a challenger to more established political platforms. However, the detailed policies, funding plans and implementation targets behind her proposed reforms were not outlined in the account.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.