Actress Rita Daniels has lost the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) presidential election to veteran actor and administrator Abubakar Yakubu.
The election took place on Saturday during the guild’s annual general meeting in Benin, Edo State.
Yakubu, who served as AGN national secretary from 2019 to 2025, emerged victorious with 116 votes. Rita Daniels, the mother of actress Regina Daniels, scored 113 votes, while three votes were declared invalid.
Yakubu’s win marks a historic moment, making him the first Northerner to lead the AGN since the guild’s official registration in 1998.
The Kaduna-born actor brings over 25 years of experience in film, television and stage productions.
A graduate of Dramatic Arts from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he previously held several top roles within the guild, including national vice president (1994–1995), national treasurer (2000–2001), public relations officer (2009–2011), and most recently national secretary.
His screen credits include Computer Girls (2003), Emotional Pain (2003), and St Mary (2014).
In the same election, Ifeoma Okeke was voted in as the new national secretary of the guild.
Rita Daniels had earlier launched her presidential bid with a manifesto shared on AGN’s official Instagram page, promising to build “a guild where every member is protected, valued, and empowered to succeed.”
Her candidacy, however, drew public criticism from outgoing AGN president Emeka Rollas, who questioned her decision to contest amid what he described as challenges within her family. Rollas had stated: “If your daughter’s home and health are in distress, AGN elections should not be your priority.”
The election was widely regarded as one of the most competitive in recent years, with analysts describing it as a close and energetic contest.
