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Nigeria’s 2027 presidential race is gradually taking shape, with candidates building campaign structures, meeting supporters and putting their political messages before voters.
But away from the rallies, interviews and political calculations are families whose stories rarely get the same attention.
For some presidential contenders, their wives are familiar faces in public life. Others are married to women who have deliberately kept their family lives away from the spotlight.
From Nigeria’s First Lady and a former senator to lawyers, engineers, businesswomen and political advocates, these are some of the women connected to the men seeking Nigeria’s highest elected office.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has listed 18 presidential candidates for the January 16, 2027 election. Sixteen are men, while two are women.
Here are some of the women behind the candidates.
1. Oluremi Tinubu: From Lagos politics to Nigeria’s First Lady
Oluremi Tinubu was already a familiar name in Nigerian politics long before her husband, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, became president.
She served as a senator representing Lagos Central and was also First Lady of Lagos State during Tinubu’s time as governor.
Her years in the National Assembly gave her an independent political profile, while her work as First Lady of Nigeria has brought her back into the national spotlight.
Today, she leads programmes and initiatives touching on areas such as education, women’s empowerment and social welfare.
With Tinubu seeking another term on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform in 2027, Oluremi remains part of the family story surrounding his political journey.
2. Gertrude Manyo Onor: Behind the PDP presidential candidate
Gertrude Manyo Onor is the wife of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Sandy Ojang Onor.
Unlike some political spouses who regularly appear at rallies and public events, Gertrude has largely kept a low profile.
Her husband, a former senator and former Cross River State governorship candidate, is among the 18 presidential candidates listed by INEC for the January 16, 2027 election.
Onor is contesting on the PDP platform, with Umaru Babangida as his running mate.
3. Titi Abubakar: Atiku’s visible political spouse
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s family life has been in the public domain for years, having been married several times.
Among the women publicly identified as his wives are Amina Titi Abubakar, Rukaiya Atiku Abubakar and Fatima Shettima Abubakar.
Of them, Titi Abubakar has maintained the most visible public profile.
She has been involved in social and advocacy activities and has appeared with Atiku at a number of public and political engagements.
Atiku is contesting the 2027 presidency under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate, according to INEC.
4. Margaret Obi: The private life behind Peter Obi
Peter Obi has spent years in the public eye as a businessman, former governor and presidential candidate. His wife, Margaret Brownson Obi, has taken a considerably quieter path.
The couple married in 1992 and have two children.
Although Margaret has accompanied her husband to some public and political events, she has generally stayed away from the intense political spotlight that follows him.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, is running for president in 2027 under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), with Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate.
5. Opeyemi Sowore: The woman behind the activist
Opeyemi Sowore has experienced a side of Nigerian politics that is very different from campaign rallies and party meetings.
Her husband, African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, has spent years at the centre of political activism, including periods of arrest and detention.
Opeyemi has, at different times, spoken publicly about how those experiences affected their family, including the impact of her husband’s detention on their children.
Sowore is contesting the 2027 presidential election with Haruna Garba Magashi as his running mate, according to INEC.
6. Tamunominini Makinde: Engineer, businesswoman and philanthropist
Tamunominini Olufunke Makinde is not simply known as the wife of a politician.
An engineer and businesswoman, she has also been involved in initiatives aimed at supporting women, children and vulnerable members of society.
Her activities have given her a public identity beyond her role as the wife of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
As Makinde enters the 2027 presidential race on the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) platform, attention may also turn to the woman who has been part of his personal journey.
INEC lists Makinde as the APM presidential candidate, with Musa Lawal Daura as his running mate.
7. Onari Duke: Lawyer and former First Lady
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Onari Duke has had a front-row view of political life.
She is the wife of Donald Duke, who served as governor of Cross River State from 1999 to 2007.
A lawyer and business executive, Onari served as First Lady of Cross River State during her husband’s tenure.
Her professional and public activities have also extended beyond the traditional ceremonial duties associated with being a governor’s wife.
Donald Duke is now seeking the presidency under the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
8. Lilian Adebayo: A voice in her husband’s political journey
Lilian Adebayo has occasionally found herself drawn into the political conversation surrounding her husband, Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo.
At one point, she publicly dismissed reports that her husband was planning to leave the SDP.
That intervention placed her briefly in the middle of a political narrative that had otherwise centred on her husband.
Adewole Adebayo is contesting the 2027 presidential election with Usman Mohammed Bugaje as his running mate.
9. Jane Onyinye Nwanyanwu: A quieter political spouse
Jane Onyinye Nwanyanwu is the wife of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) presidential candidate Daniel Nwanyanwu.
Biographical information about the couple identifies Jane as Nwanyanwu’s wife and notes that they have four children.
She has largely remained away from the political spotlight, unlike some spouses whose activities have become part of their partners’ public careers.
With Daniel Nwanyanwu on INEC’s 2027 presidential list, however, the family is now part of the wider political contest.
He is running with Hassan Khalid as his running mate.
10. Obidiya Jennifer Okereke: Behind the Labour Party candidate
Dr Sunday Chibuzo Okereke, the Labour Party presidential candidate, is married to Obidiya Jennifer Okereke, also referred to in some personal acknowledgements simply as Obidiya or Obidiyá.
She has maintained a relatively private life and is not as publicly visible as some other spouses of presidential candidates.
Still, her marriage to the Labour Party candidate places her among the women whose families are connected to the 2027 presidential contest.
INEC lists Sunday Chibuzo Okereke as the Labour Party candidate, with Hajja Bintu Konto as his running mate.
11. Zainab Adhama: Wife of ADP candidate Aliyu Abbas-Bin
Zainab Adhama is married to Action Democratic Party (ADP) presidential candidate Aliyu Abbas-Bin.
She has largely stayed away from the political spotlight, with little public information about her compared with the spouses of some of the better-known candidates.
Abbas-Bin is one of the 18 candidates on INEC’s list for the January 16, 2027 election. His running mate is Chinazam Ike.
12. Jane Adenuga: Family life behind the Boot Party candidate
Jane Adenuga is the wife of Boot Party (BP) presidential candidate Sunday Adenuga.
The couple has three children, while Jane has generally maintained a private life away from the political activities surrounding her husband.
Sunday Adenuga is among the 18 presidential candidates on INEC’s list and is running alongside Mustapha Usman Turaki.
13. Alhaja Barakat Treasure Adebisi: Behind the DLA candidate
Alhaja Barakat Treasure Adebisi is married to Moses/Adebisi Olusoji, the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) presidential candidate.
She also has a professional identity of her own as co-founder of Thrillers Virtual Agency and Treasure Home of Beauty.
Her work outside politics offers another glimpse into the lives of the families connected to the 2027 presidential contest.
The other presidential candidates
Not every presidential candidate has a spouse whose personal or professional life is well documented publicly.
Among the male candidates whose wives have not been profiled here are Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance (AA), Yusuf Kabiru of the Allied Peoples Party (APP) and Peter Agada of the Young Progressive Party (YPP).
There are also two women among the 18 presidential candidates: Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).
As the 2027 election draws closer, most of the attention will naturally remain on the candidates, their policies and their campaigns.
But behind the political headlines are families and spouses whose lives are also being drawn into one of Nigeria’s biggest political contests.
