Nigerian-American Democrat Oye Owolewa has been re-elected as the shadow representative for Washington, D.C. Owolewa, who earned his PhD from Northeastern University in Boston, first made history in November 2020 as the first Nigerian-American elected to Congress in this role.
In the recent election, Owolewa garnered 164,026 votes, securing 82.84% of the total votes cast in D.C.
Although his position does not grant him full congressional status or voting power, Owolewa’s role is crucial in advocating for D.C.’s interests, particularly its ongoing campaign for statehood.
On Thursday, he expressed appreciation to the voters via social media, saying, “Thank you, D.C., again for giving me the chance to serve. I also want to thank the organizations that have supported, partnered with, and endorsed me.”
Though shadow representatives like Owolewa cannot vote in Congress, they play a significant role in championing the rights and recognition of D.C. residents, who lack full federal representation.
