From hospital walls to Politics — Six Nigerian Nurses Contesting the 2027 National Assembly Elections FNA NEWS,LAGOS NIGERIA, 14th Of September, 2026
For years, the image of the Nigerian nurse has largely been tied to the hospital ward: scrubs, medication rounds, night shifts, maternity units, emergency rooms and long hours at the bedside.
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But some nurses are now moving into a very different environment — the political arena.
As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, six nursing professionals have emerged on the National Assembly ballot across different parts of the country.
Their stories are not the same.
One is a nurse and academic whose work has extended into health research. Another has already served as a state health commissioner. One has led the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) at state level. Others bring experience in nursing, midwifery, intensive care and political organisation.
For a profession that has historically been more visible in healthcare delivery than electoral politics, their emergence raises an important question:
What happens when the people who care for patients begin seeking the power to shape the policies governing healthcare?
Six nurses, two chambers
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The candidates span the Senate and House of Representatives.
Dr Ayenioye Olabisi is contesting the Ekiti South senatorial seat on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Tangwami Felix Bilishan is contesting Adamawa South for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In the House of Representatives, Adaku Bridget Nwosu is contesting Etche/Omuma in Rivers State on the Labour Party platform.
Idris Bello Idris is listed for Birnin Kudu/Buji in Jigawa State under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Esther Robson Umoh is contesting Ikot Abasi/Mkpat Enin/Eastern Obolo in Akwa Ibom for the PDP.
Justina Onyenonachi Kamalu is contesting Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala in Imo State under the National Democratic Party.
The appearance of these candidates comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission publishes the final lists for the 2027 National Assembly contests. The Senate list includes 1,195 candidates across the 109 senatorial districts.
But beyond their names and party affiliations are career journeys that make their political bids particularly interesting.
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Ayenioye Olabisi: From nursing research to the Senate
Dr Ayenioye Olabisi Helen represents perhaps one of the clearest examples of a nursing career extending into academia and research before politics.
Her publicly available academic profile identifies her as RN, PhD and as Acting Head of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing at the University of Ilesa.
Her research record also stretches beyond mental health. She was a co-author of a 2023 Scientific Reports study examining traditional birth attendants’ knowledge and practices around postpartum haemorrhage in Osun State.
More recent research has linked her to work examining cervical cancer screening among reproductive-age women in Ekiti State.
Now, the academic and researcher is seeking a seat in the Senate.
Her trajectory raises an interesting possibility for nursing representation: what could happen when someone whose professional life has involved teaching, research and examining health problems enters a chamber responsible for legislation and public policy?
Tangwami Felix Bilishan: The nurse who became a health commissioner
If there is one candidate whose journey most clearly connects nursing with political administration, it is Tangwami Felix Bilishan.
Bilishan has previously served as Adamawa State Commissioner for Health and Human Services. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s 2024 State of Health of the Nation Report identifies him as Adamawa’s health commissioner.
An Adamawa State government report also documented him in the role during an inspection visit to the College of Health Technology in Michika, where discussions included the relocation and development of the institution.
His professional background is also unusual for a political candidate. His 2027 senatorial listing identifies him with nursing alongside Political Science and a Master of Public Administration.
In other words, his journey has already crossed several boundaries:
Nursing. Public administration. Health leadership. Politics.
His 2027 bid for the Senate therefore represents not his first encounter with health policy, but a potential move from executive health administration into federal legislation.
Adaku Bridget Nwosu: From nursing leadership to the ballot
For Adaku Bridget Nwosu, politics follows years of professional representation within nursing.
Nwosu served as Chairperson of NANNM Rivers State Council, winning the position in the association’s 2023 election results.
Her leadership role has also placed her publicly at the centre of conversations about nursing professionalism and patient care.
In 2025, The Guardian reported her urging nurses to maintain compassion and professionalism despite increasing pressure on healthcare workers and overcrowded hospitals. She has also been associated with professional discussions on issues including nursing communication, litigation, clinical research, technological advancement and brain drain. Now she is taking that experience beyond the professional association.
Nwosu is contesting the Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in Rivers State on the Labour Party platform.
Her political journey therefore presents an interesting transition:
From representing nurses to seeking to represent constituents.
Idris Bello Idris: A nursing voice entering federal politics
Idris Bello Idris’ background also contains a significant nursing leadership component.
He has served as Secretary of NANNM Katsina State Council and has publicly spoken on issues affecting healthcare workers.
In January 2025, he spoke to LEADERSHIP about security concerns affecting healthcare facilities in frontline areas of Katsina State.
Earlier, he and the Katsina NANNM leadership called on the state government to support healthcare workers and improve conditions for nurses and midwives.
A nursing-sector publication also identifies him as an assistant general secretary and NANNM Katsina State Council secretary.
He is now listed as an ADC candidate for the Birnin Kudu/Buji Federal Constituency in Jigawa State.
His candidacy is particularly interesting because it comes from someone who has already participated in advocacy around healthcare workers’ welfare and security.
Esther Robson Umoh: Nursing, intensive care and grassroots politics
Esther Robson Umoh brings another combination of professional and political experience.
The candidate is listed for the Ikot Abasi/Mkpat Enin/Eastern Obolo Federal Constituency in Akwa Ibom under the PDP.
Her professional qualifications include Registered Nursing, Registered Midwifery and Intensive Care Nursing, placing her professional experience across both nursing and maternal care, with additional specialist training in critical care.
Her political involvement also predates the current National Assembly contest.
Akwa Ibom PDP records list Esther Robson Umoh as an Assistant Secretary at ward level, while subsequent party records identify her as an ex-officio member of the state executive structure. ([PDP Akwa Ibom][12])
Her story therefore adds another dimension to the emerging picture: a healthcare professional who has combined clinical training with grassroots political participation.
Justina Kamalu Onyenonachi: A return to the political battlefield
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Justina Kamalu Onyenonachi’s story is different again.
She is contesting the Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency in Imo State under the National Democratic Party.
Her qualifications include Registered Nursing, MSc and MBA, alongside her basic education credentials.
But the 2027 election is not her first encounter with electoral politics.
Records from the 2019 general election list a Kamalu Justina O among candidates contesting the same Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala federal constituency. She was listed under the Social Democratic Party at the time. ([Enews][1])
Her name also appeared among aspirants seeking the APC ticket for the constituency ahead of the 2023 elections.
Her 2027 candidacy therefore looks less like a sudden jump from nursing into politics and more like a return to a political ambition that has continued across election cycles.
Why does this matter for nursing?
The significance of these candidates goes beyond the number six.
Nurses are among the professionals who experience the Nigerian healthcare system at close range.
They see the consequences of shortages in health facilities. They work with patients who cannot afford treatment. They manage overcrowded wards, participate in maternal and child healthcare, respond to emergencies and navigate the practical consequences of government policies.
Yet many of the decisions that determine those conditions are made outside the hospital.
Budgets are political.
Health insurance policy is political.
Workforce planning is political.
Nursing education and regulation require policy decisions.
Primary healthcare funding is political.
Patient safety can also be influenced by legislation, regulation and public spending.
This creates a compelling argument for healthcare professionals to participate in policymaking.
But there is an equally important caution.
Being a nurse does not automatically make someone a good legislator.
Professional experience can provide valuable insight, but voters must still assess candidates on competence, integrity, leadership, accountability and their plans for their constituencies.
From bedside advocacy to policy advocacy
For decades, nurses have advocated for patients one person at a time.
Politics offers a different scale of advocacy.
A nurse at the bedside can speak up for one patient’s needs. A nurse in the legislature could potentially influence policies affecting thousands or millions of patients.
That does not mean every nurse should become a politician.
But it does mean the profession has reason to pay attention when its members step into public leadership.
The six candidates are entering different political contests, representing different parties and constituencies. Their professional journeys are also far from identical.
What unites them is the decision to move beyond the traditional boundaries of nursing.
And perhaps that is the most interesting story of all.
The question is no longer whether nurses belong in the political space. The question is whether their experience at the bedside can translate into effective leadership at the table where healthcare decisions are made.
For Nigeria’s nursing profession, 2027 may offer an early answer.
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Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa.
Durowoju Abisola is a registered nurse, nurse writer and On-Air Correspondent at Fellow Nurses Africa (FNA), passionate about nursing leadership, health education and advocacy.
Through journalism, storytelling and content creation, she amplifies important conversations around nursing, healthcare and the experiences of nurses in Nigeria. She is committed to using her voice and professional knowledge to educate the public, challenge misconceptions and inspire the next generation of nurses.
