Four Nigerian-Americans Secure US Election Wins

Four Nigerian-Americans have won elective positions in the United States in the November 3 midterm elections, with victories recorded across several states and Washington, DC.

The winners include: Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa and Carol Kazeem. They secured seats in local government and state legislatures.

Will Jawando

In Maryland, Democrat Will Jawando won the race for Montgomery County executive, defeating Republican candidate Esther Wells.

Junior Ezeonu

In Texas, 27-year-old Junior Ezeonu won a seat in the state House of Representatives for District 101. Ezeonu secured the Democratic Party nomination after defeating incumbent Chris Turner in the primary. He was the only candidate on the November general-election ballot after no Republican opponent entered the race.

His campaign biography says he was born in Onitsha, Anambra State, and moved to Texas at the age of two. He was elected to the Grand Prairie City Council in 2021 and later became the city’s youngest mayor pro tempore. Meanwhile, Oye Owolewa won an at-large seat on the Council of the District of Columbia in Washington, DC.

Oye Owolewa

Local news publication The 51st reported that Owolewa secured 69 per cent of the vote, against independent candidate Elissa Silverman’s 21 per cent.

Owolewa is a pharmacist and the son of Nigerian immigrants from Kwara and Osun states. He previously served as the District’s elected shadow representative, a role that advocates for statehood but does not carry voting rights in the US Congress.

Carol Kazeem

In Pennsylvania, Carol Kazeem retained her seat in the state House of Representatives, representing District 159. Kazeem, a Democrat, defeated Republican challenger Michael Bannon to secure another term. She was among eight Nigerian-Americans who won legislative seats in the 2022 US midterm elections.

The US midterm elections take place halfway through a president’s four-year term. They determine Congress’s composition, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate’s 100 seats contested in the 2026 elections.

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Deborah Akwa

Deborah Akwa is a content writer with over four years of experience creating brand stories, editorial content, and audience-focused articles on topics like health, lifestyle, and entertainment.

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