Six British-Nigerian candidates have been elected to the UK Parliament in the recently concluded elections.
According to reports, Chi Onwurah (Labour MP for Newcastle Central and West), Kemi Badenoch (Saffron Walden), Kate Osamor (Edmonton), Florence Eshalomi (Vauxhall and Camberwell Green), Taiwo Owatemi (Coventry North-West), and Bayo Alaba (Southend East and Rochford) all won their respective seats.
In the past, other Nigerian-British politicians have also made history in UK politics. Helen Grant became the first African-born Conservative MP in 2010, and Chuka Umunna was elected as a Labour MP in 2010, later becoming the chair of the Vote Leave campaign.
This latest group of Nigerian-British MPs joins a growing list of trailblazers making a significant impact in UK politics. The successful candidates have been praised for their hard work and dedication to their constituencies and are expected to bring a unique perspective to the House of Commons.
In a related development, Dr. Olusola Oni, a candidate known for his ethnic bigotry in Nigeria and a member of the Yoruba Ronu group, lost his bid to become the MP representing Peckham. Oni, who has been criticized for his bigoted views, received only 261 votes. He had announced his candidacy for the newly formed Yoruba Party in the UK for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
