The presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Dr Esther Okereke, has promised to prioritise grassroots development and provide basic infrastructure, including roads and railways, if elected president in 2027.
Okereke made the pledge during a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview in Abuja on Sunday, saying her ambition was driven by her understanding of the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
She said she was familiar with the challenges facing people at the grassroots because she used the same roads, visited local markets and accessed community healthcare facilities like other citizens.
According to her, the NRM has built a strong organisational structure across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and all 774 local government areas. She added that the party had also established structures across wards and polling units nationwide to mobilise voters and give ordinary Nigerians a stronger voice in governance.
“I am called the grassroots candidate because I use the same roads, go to the same markets and visit the same hospitals as the average Nigerian. I feel what they feel,” she said.
The NRM candidate expressed concern over the poor condition of many inter-state roads, describing them as a major obstacle to economic growth and a threat to public safety.
Recounting a recent road trip for a family funeral, Okereke said the condition of some highways exposed travellers to avoidable hardship and danger. She argued that the standard of road infrastructure in the Federal Capital Territory could be replicated across the country.
She also maintained that the neglect of basic infrastructure and economic empowerment left many Nigerians vulnerable to vote-buying and political manipulation during elections.
According to her, access to good roads, reliable electricity, affordable housing and food security would improve living conditions and reduce the use of poverty to lure young people into political thuggery.
Okereke urged Nigerians to use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to demand accountability from political leaders rather than allow short-term financial inducements to determine their choices at the polls.
She said the country needed leadership focused on rebuilding institutions and addressing persistent problems such as unemployment, poor electricity supply, dilapidated hospitals and bad roads.
The presidential candidate advised voters to collect any items distributed by politicians during campaigns but remain free to vote according to their convictions.
“Collect the rice, collect the money, collect the plastic plate they are sharing. It is your money, it is your right. Collect whatever it is they are sharing, but vote for accountability,” she said.
Okereke stressed that her ambition was not about gender but about offering Nigerians accountable leadership, adding that she would see herself as a servant of the people rather than simply their leader.
