Nigerian-American politician, KC Ohaebosim, has been elected Lieutenant Governor of Kansas, making him the first person of Nigerian descent to occupy the position in the United States.
Ohaebosim, a Democrat from Wichita, won alongside gubernatorial candidate Cindy Holscher in the November 3, 2026, US midterm elections.
The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, announced his victory in a post on X on Friday, describing it as a historic achievement for Nigerians in the diaspora.
She congratulated Ohaebosim, noting that he had become the first Nigerian-American elected lieutenant governor in the US.
The office of lieutenant governor is broadly equivalent to that of a deputy governor in Nigeria.
Ohaebosim is expected to serve with Holscher, who defeated Republican candidate and Kansas Senate President, Ty Masterson, in a closely fought gubernatorial contest.
According to Kansas City public radio station KCUR, Holscher secured victory by approximately 0.6 percentage points, translating to fewer than 8,000 votes. The final declaration was delayed for more than a week following an audit conducted after Election Day.
Ohaebosim has been a member of the Kansas House of Representatives since 2017, representing the 89th District. He did not contest for another term in the legislature after joining Holscher's ticket.
Born in Wichita, Kansas, he is the son of Dr Linus Ohaebosim, a Nigerian-born physician.
He spent some of his childhood in Nigeria and received part of his early education in the country before returning to Kansas, where he attended Wichita Heights High School.
He later graduated from Wichita State University and earned a Master of Business Administration from Newman University.
Before his political career, Ohaebosim worked in technology-related fields, including as a data analyst.
In the Kansas legislature, he served on several committees, including Transportation, General Government Budget, and Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications. He was also the ranking minority member of the last committee.
His election is significant beyond his Nigerian heritage, as it also makes him only the second Black person elected to a statewide office in Kansas.
The first was Edward McCabe, who became State Auditor in 1882, according to KCUR.
The Democratic Party also recorded notable gains in Kansas during the elections, winning the attorney general's race and a US Senate seat, while ending the Republican supermajority in the state House of Representatives.
Holscher and Ohaebosim are expected to take office in 2027.
15 Nigerians, Nigerian-Americans win US midterm elections
Ohaebosim's emergence brings to 15 the number of Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans reported to have won elections during the November 3 US midterm polls.
Fourteen other candidates of Nigerian descent were earlier listed by NiDCOM as winners of different political contests across the country.
The list, announced by Dabiri-Erewa on Wednesday, includes candidates elected into state legislatures, a state senate, county executive office and the Washington, DC, Council.
The winners include Segun Adeyina, elected to the Georgia State House, District 110; Solomon Adesanya, Georgia State House, District 43; Will Jawando, Montgomery County Executive, Maryland; and Esther Agbaje, Minnesota State House, District 59B.
Others are Ukeme Awakessien-Jeter, Ohio State House, District 7; Junior Ezeonu, Texas State House, District 101; Olaleye Onikuyide, Connecticut State House, District 19; Gabe Okoye, Georgia State House, District 102; and Phil Olaleye, Georgia State House, District 59.
Also on the list are Justin Onwenu, Michigan State Senate, District 1; Janelle Anyanonu, New Mexico State House, District 19; Carol Kazeem, Pennsylvania State House, District 159; Odus Evbagharu, Texas State House, District 135; and Dr Oye Owolewa, Washington, DC, Council at-large.
Dabiri-Erewa had congratulated the 14 politicians, describing their victories as a testament to the talent, resilience and leadership of Nigerians making an impact across the world.
She wished them success as they prepared to assume their new responsibilities.
The US midterm elections take place halfway through a president's four-year tenure. In addition to determining the composition of Congress, they feature contests for several state and local government positions.
The latest victories highlight the increasing presence of Nigerians and people of Nigerian descent in American public service and political leadership.
Leave a Reply