Six Nigerian-Americans win seats in 2026 US midterm elections

Six politicians of Nigerian descent have won elective positions in the United States following the November 3 midterm elections, with victories recorded across five states and Washington, DC.

The winners are Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa, Carol Kazeem, Gabe Okoye and Segun Adeyina.

They contested under the Democratic Party.

The victories, recorded in Maryland, Texas, Washington, DC, Geargia and Pennsylvania, highlight the growing political participation and representation of Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans in American politics.

In Maryland, Jawando defeated Republican candidate Esther Wells to become the next executive of Montgomery County. Results reported by NBC Washington showed him securing 237,383 votes, representing 78.15%, against Wells’ 66,383 votes.

Jawando, whose father is Nigerian and mother is American, previously served on the Montgomery County Council.

In Texas, 27-year-old Ezeonu won a seat in the state House of Representatives for District 101.

Born in Onitsha, Anambra State, he moved to the US with his family at the age of two.

He defeated incumbent Chris Turner in the Democratic primary and ran unopposed in the general election.

In Washington, DC, Owolewa secured an at-large seat on the District of Columbia Council, polling 69% of the vote against independent candidate Elissa Silverman’s 21%.

Owolewa, a pharmacist whose parents are from Kwara and Osun states, previously served as the district’s shadow representative to Congress.

Meanwhile, Kazeem retained her Pennsylvania House of Representatives seat for District 159, defeating Republican Michael Bannon. Kazeem was among eight Nigerian-Americans who won legislative seats in the 2022 US midterm elections.

In Georgia, Okoye retained his District 102 seat without opposition, while Adeyina defeated Republican Charles Lollar in District 110.

Adeyina and Okoye are both members of the Georgia House of Representatives.

The US midterm elections determine the composition of Congress, state legislatures and several local government positions. Results in some races remain subject to official certification.