US Elections: Nigerian-American, Oye Owolewa re-elected to US congress

A Nigerian-American Democrat, Oye Owolewa, has been re-elected as a Shadow Representative for the District of Columbia, DC.

Recall that Owolewa made history in November 2020 when he became the first Nigerian-American elected to congress.

He secured 164,026 votes, or 82.84 percent of the total votes cast in the District of Columbia.

His role, while not officially recognised by the US government as a full member of congress, is to advocate for the district's interests, particularly its bid for statehood.

Owolewa on Thursday expressed his gratitude to DC voters via a post on X, thanking them for their continued support.

"Thank you, DC, again for giving me a chance to serve. I also want to thank the organizations that have supported, partnered with and endorsed me," he wrote.

Torizone reports that Shadow Representatives do not have voting power in the US House of Representatives.

They play a key role in pushing for recognition and state-level advocacy for residents of District of Columbia, DC, who are otherwise disenfranchised at the federal level.

Owolewa has consistently championed the cause of DC statehood, which has become a central focus of his work.