Four British-Nigerians who won UK parliament seats

• Published On: 06 July 2024 at 09:30

On Thursday, July 4, 2024, British voters went to the polls to elect members of parliament who would establish a new government.

The Labour Party triumphed convincingly, securing 412 seats out of 650, ending the Conservatives' 14-year hegemony.


As a result, Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has been officially appointed as the British Prime Minister, after Rishi Sunak acknowledged defeat and resigned as Tory leader.

Four renowned British-Nigerians won the elections.


Kemi Badenoch returns as a Tory MP despite the Conservatives' ousting.

Kemi Badenoch, a well-known British-Nigerian member of the United Kingdom Parliament, gained her seat in North West Essex in the July 4 parliamentary elections.

Badenoch was re-elected as a Conservative Party MP despite the Tories' overwhelming defeat to the Labour Party.


She won with 19,360 votes, defeating her primary opponent, Labour's Issy Waiter, who received 16,750.

Speaking shortly after her triumph, Badenoch stated, "Many of my friends and colleagues have lost their seats. They have served their country with distinction. Their contributions will never be in vain. However, the people has spoken, and they have made it clear that they no longer trust the Conservatives.

Badenoch was born on January 2, 1980, and served as Britain's Secretary of State for Business and Trade from 2023 to 2024. She also served as President of the Board of Trade and Minister for Women and Equalities from 2022 to 2024.

Badenoch, who is resilient, bold, and hardworking, was touted to succeed the immediate past UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, after she expressed interest following Liz Truss' resignation in October 2022.

The 44-year-old British politician has been an MP for Saffron Walden since 2017.

Badenoch earned a master's degree in computer systems engineering from the University of Sussex in 2003. She also studied law at Birkbeck, University of London.

She married Hamish Badenoch in 2012 and has three children.


Businessman Bayo Alaba won Newcastle for the Labour Party.

Bayo Alaba, a British-Nigerian businessman, won the Labour Party's Southend East and Rochford seats.

Alaba won with 15,395 votes, while the Conservative Party's nominee, Gavin Haran, received 11,368.

Alaba, a former Parachute Regiment soldier and youth mentor, is now the first black councillor in the London Borough of Redbridge.

Alaba was born and raised in Forest Gate, east London, and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Phoenix Resource Centre, a sustainable charity with operations in the UK and worldwide.

Alaba commented on his victory, saying, "The people of Southend East Rochford have placed their trust in our new Labour Party. Now is the moment to deliver.

"This will be the biggest event of my life. "I will work every day to repay the trust you have in me," he added.

Taiwo Owatemi, a former Member of Parliament of Nigerian heritage, won the UK Parliament election in Coventry North West for the Labour Party.

Owatemi received 19,696 votes, defeating her major opponent, Tom Mercer of the Conservatives, who received 8,522.

She served as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities from September 2021 to September 2022.

Born on July 22, 1992, Owatemi grew up in Plumstead and was first elected to the UK Parliament in 2019.

The 31-year-old lawmaker holds a Master's degree in pharmacy from the University of Kent. She worked at a cancer center in Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust before entering politics.

Owatemi was a member of Labour Friends of Israel and was part of the group that visited the country in February 2023.


After winning the election, Owatemi, a spokeswoman for the Medical Research Council, stated, "Words cannot describe my appreciation to the people of Coventry North West. Your faith in me, in our shared goal for a better future, is genuinely admirable."

"It is the honour of my life to represent you and I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure your voices are represented," she told the crowd.

Chi Onwurah resumes her winning streak.

Chi Onwurah has been re-elected as a Labour Party MP to represent Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West in the UK Parliament.

On July 4, Onwurah won with 18,875 votes in a landslide victory for the Labour Party, unseating the Tories.

Before the election, Onwurah, born on April 12, 1965, served as the Shadow Minister for Industrial Strategy.

The 59-year-old Wallsend native, who was first elected to the UK Parliament in 2010, defeated her closest opponent, Ashton Muncaster of the Reform Party, who received 7,815 votes.


She attended Kenton School in Newcastle and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College London.

In her post-victory statements, Onwurah remarked, "Thank you from the Labour team to everyone in Newcastle Central and West for believing in Labour and electing me as your Member of Parliament." "We will not let you down!"