UPDATED: 14 Nigerian-Americans secure victories in US midterm elections - Premium Times Nigeria

Tuesday’s US midterm elections saw Nigerian-Americans win state legislative seats in many states.

Some Nigerians also won local government positions.

Nigerians in Diaspora Commission chairperson Abike Dabiri-Erewa identified 14 Nigerian-Americans among the winners of the State elections.

Their victories span Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Connecticut, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Washington, with the successful candidates emerging at different levels of government.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa congratulated the politicians in a post on X on Wednesday.

“Hearty congratulations to Nigerian Americans who won elections in the US. Wishing all of them great success,” Ms Dabiri-Erewa wrote.

Among those listed are Segun Adeyina and Gabe Okoye, who secured seats in the Georgia House of Representatives for Districts 110 and 102, respectively.

Another Nigerian-American politician, Carol Kazeem, retained her seat as the representative of Pennsylvania House District in the midterms.

She first won the midterm elections in 2022. In this year’s midterm, the Democrat defeated Republican candidate Michael Bannon

Two other Democrats, Solomon Adesanya and Phil Olaleye, won seats in Georgia’s 43rd and 59th districts.

In Maryland, Democrat Will Jawando won the Montgomery County executive position. The longtime at-large County Council member defeated Republican candidate Esther Wells.

He bested council colleagues Andrew Friedson and Evan Glass in a competitive primary, running on a campaign to improve education funding and affordable housing. The 43-year-old suffered a heart attack in early September.

Another Nigerian, Esther Agbaje, ran under the Democratic Party and won a seat in the Minnesota House to represent District 59B.

Democrat Ukeme Awakessien-Jeter won Ohio’s House District 7.

Junior Ezeonu, also a Democrat, won Texas House District 101 after defeating Chris Turner in the Primary. He ran without a Republican opponent in the midterm.

The list further includes Olaleye Onikuyide, who won Connecticut House District 19.

Nigerian-American Democratic candidate, Justin Onwenu, also won Michigan State Senate District 1.

Janelle Anyanonu, also a Democrat, won New Mexico’s House District 19.

Others listed are Odus Evbagharu, who secured Texas House District 135, and Oye Owolewa, who won an at-large seat on the Washington Council.