WASHINGTON, United States — Fourteen politicians of Nigerian descent have been listed as winners of the November 3, 2026, United States midterm elections in a congratulatory graphic shared by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
The compilation, credited to Akindele Akinyemi, identifies candidates who contested elections across Georgia, Texas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Connecticut and Washington, DC.
The reported victories span state legislatures, a county executive position and the District of Columbia Council, reflecting the participation of Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans in different levels of American political leadership.
However, independent reporting available on November 4 had confirmed a smaller number of victories than the 14 names contained in the graphic.
The list should therefore be understood as a reported compilation rather than a fully verified record of certified election results.
Full List of 14 Nigerians Listed in the Midterm Elections Graphic
| No. | Name | State/Jurisdiction | Constituency or Position | Verification status as at November 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Segun Adeyina | Georgia | State House, District 110 | Subsequently reported winner; earlier results were uncalled |
| 2 | Solomon Adesanya | Georgia | State House, District 43 | Listed as unopposed; county election authority confirmed the unopposed contest |
| 3 | Will Jawando | Maryland | Montgomery County Executive | Reported winner |
| 4 | Esther Agbaje | Minnesota | State House, District 59B | Listed in the graphic; victory not independently established in the sources reviewed |
| 5 | Ukeme Awakessien Jeter | Ohio | State House, District 7 | Listed in the graphic; victory not independently established in the sources reviewed |
| 6 | Junior Ezeonu | Texas | State House, District 101 | Reported winner |
| 7 | Olaleke Onikuyide | Connecticut | State House, District 19 | Listed in the graphic; victory not independently established in the sources reviewed |
| 8 | Gabe Okoye | Georgia | State House, District 102 | Reported winner; ran unopposed |
| 9 | Phil Olaleye | Georgia | State House, District 59 | Listed in the graphic; victory not independently established in the sources reviewed |
| 10 | Justin Onwenu | Michigan | State Senate, District 1 | Listed in the graphic; victory not independently established in the sources reviewed |
| 11 | Janelle Anyanwu | New Mexico | State House, District 19 | Listed in the graphic; victory not independently established in the sources reviewed |
| 12 | Carol Kazeem | Pennsylvania | State House, District 159 | Reported winner |
| 13 | Odus Evbagharu | Texas | State House, District 135 | Listed in the graphic; victory not independently established in the sources reviewed |
| 14 | Dr Oye Owolewa | Washington, DC | District of Columbia Council, At-Large | Reported winner |
Verification note: The table reproduces the 14 names and constituencies in the graphic.
“Reported winner” indicates that contemporaneous media reporting identified the person as victorious; it does not mean that final statutory certification had necessarily been completed.
For the other entries, this report does not assert that the candidates lost; their outcomes require further confirmation.
Four Prominent Midterm Elections Victories Receive National Attention
Among the Nigerian-Americans whose Midterm Elections victories received significant coverage on November 4 were Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa and Carol Kazeem.
Will Jawando Wins Montgomery County Executive Race
Democrat Will Jawando won the election for Montgomery County executive in Maryland, defeating Republican candidate Esther Wells.
Results published by NBC Washington showed Jawando with 237,383 votes, representing 78.15 per cent, against Wells’s 66,383 votes, or 21.85 per cent, with 72 per cent of expected votes counted in the reported update.
Jawando previously served on the Montgomery County Council. He is the son of a Nigerian father and an American mother.
His victory places him in charge of the executive administration of one of Maryland’s most populous counties.
Junior Ezeonu Wins Texas House District 101
Twenty-seven-year-old Junior Ezeonu secured the Texas House of Representatives seat for District 101.
Born in Onitsha, Anambra State, Ezeonu moved to the United States as a child.
He previously served on the Grand Prairie City Council and became the city’s youngest mayor pro tempore.
He had defeated incumbent Chris Turner in the Democratic primary.
Ezeonu faced no Republican opponent in the November general election, according to reports published after the election.
Oye Owolewa Wins Washington, DC Council Seat
Dr Oye Owolewa won an at-large position on the Council of the District of Columbia.
Reports put his share of the vote at approximately 69 per cent, ahead of independent candidate Elissa Silverman, who received about 21 per cent.
Owolewa, a pharmacist and son of Nigerian immigrants from Kwara and Osun states, previously served as the District’s shadow representative.
Carol Kazeem Retains Pennsylvania House Seat
Carol Kazeem retained her seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing District 159.
She defeated Republican challenger Michael Bannon, according to election coverage published on November 4.
Kazeem was first elected to the Pennsylvania legislature in 2022.
Georgia Records Additional Nigerian-American Victories
Georgia also featured prominently in the Midterm Elections results involving politicians of Nigerian descent.
Gabe Okoye retained his seat in the Georgia House of Representatives for District 102. Election tracking listed him as unopposed.
Segun Adeyina, who represents District 110, was initially reported to be leading Republican challenger Charles Lollar while votes were still being counted.
Subsequent reporting on November 4 identified Adeyina as the winner.
Solomon Adesanya, representing District 43, was also listed as unopposed.
Cobb County’s election authority had previously disclosed a ballot-districting error affecting a limited number of voters in one precinct.
It, however, said the error could not change the outcome because Adesanya was the sole candidate in the race.
These developments demonstrate why early election reports and later results should be distinguished when compiling lists of winners.
Growing Nigerian-American Participation in US Politics
The reported Midterm Elections victories highlight the increasing visibility of Nigerian-origin politicians in American public life.
Their positions span different responsibilities:
- state legislators make laws and oversee state budgets;
- county executives administer local government services; and,
- members of the District of Columbia Council legislate on matters affecting the US capital.
The diversity of offices represented in the compilation also illustrates that political participation by the Nigerian diaspora extends beyond federal elections and congressional contests.
Nigerian-American elected officials can contribute to debates on education, healthcare, immigration, economic development, public safety and relations between the United States and Nigeria.
Their backgrounds and experiences may also strengthen connections between Nigerian communities in the United States and their country of origin.
NiDCOM Congratulates Nigerian-Americans Midterm Elections Winners
NiDCOM Chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa congratulated Nigerian-Americans identified as winners in the November 3 Midterm Elections.
The congratulatory message and accompanying graphic, credited to Akindele Akinyemi, presented 14 names across several American jurisdictions.
The announcement has drawn attention to the political achievements of Nigerians and people of Nigerian descent in the United States.
However, the number of names in the graphic should not be confused with the number of victories independently confirmed by the media and election records available at the time of publication.
Developing Story: Final Election Certifications
Election-night and early post-election results are not necessarily final.
State and local election authorities must complete their prescribed counting, canvassing and certification procedures.
This report therefore distinguishes between candidates identified as Midterm Elections winners in contemporaneous reporting and those whose victories were not independently established in the sources reviewed by November 4.
Further official results and certification updates may clarify the status of the remaining names.
