Headline

Four British-Nigerians Who Won UK Parliament Seats

Published

1 year ago

July 6, 2024

The British citizens on Thursday, July 4, 2024, trooped out to the polling units to elect members of parliament that will form a new government.

In the election, the Labour Party won overwhelmingly to secure 412 seats out of 650 to end the 14-year rule of the Conservatives.

Consequently, the Labour leader, Keir Starmer has been officially appointed as the British Prime Minister, after Rishi Sunak conceded defeat and resigned as Tory leader.

Four prominent British-Nigerians were victorious at the polls.

Kemi Badenoch returns as Tory MP despite Conservatives’ ouster

Renowned British-Nigerian in the United Kingdom Parliament, Kemi Badenoch, won her seat in North West Essex in the July 4 Parliamentary elections.

Badenoch was re-elected as a Conservative Party member of Parliament despite a landslide loss of the Tories to the Labour Party.

She won with 19,360 votes defeating her main challenger, Labour’s Issy Waiter, who garnered 16,750 votes.

Speaking shortly after her victory at the polls, Badenoch said, “Many of my friends and colleagues have lost their seats. They have served their country with distinction. Their service will never be in vain. But the public have spoken and they have said loud and clear that the Conservatives have lost their trust.”

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

Resilient, bold and diligent, Badenoch was tipped to succeed the immediate past UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, as she showed interest after Liz Truss resigned in October 2022.

The 44-year-old British politician has been in the UK Parliament representing Saffron Walden as an MP from 2017.

Badenoch studied Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Sussex and got a Master’s degree in 2003. She also studied Law at Birkbeck, University of London.

She got married to Hamish Badenoch in 2012 and is blessed with three children.

Businessman Bayo Alaba wins Newcastle for Labour Party

British-Nigerian businessman, Bayo Alaba, won the Southend East and Rochford for Labour Party.

Alaba won with 15,395 votes against the Conservative Party’s candidate, Gavin Haran with 11,368 votes.

Widely known as a successful former Parachute Regiment soldier, and youth mentor, Alaba is currently serving as the first black councillor for the London Borough of Redbridge.

Born and raised in Forest Gate, east London, Alaba is a Board Trustee for Phoenix Resource Centre, a sustainable charity with operations in the UK and abroad.

Commenting on his victory, Alaba said, “The people of Southend East Rochford have put their trust in our changed Labour Party. Now is the time to deliver.

“This will be the greatest thing of my life. I will work every day to repay the trust you put in me,” he added.

Former Shadow Minister, Taiwo Owatemi who staged comeback

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

Owatemi polled 19,696 votes to defeat her main rival, Tom Mercer from the Tories, who secured 8,522 votes.

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

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

The 31-year-old politician got a Master’s degree in Pharmacy from the University of Kent. She worked at a cancer unit in Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust before venturing into politics.

Owatemi was a member of Labour Friends of Israel and part of the delegation that travelled to the country in February 2023.

After her victory in the election, Owatemi, who was a spokesperson for the Medical Research Council, said, “Words cannot express my gratitude to the people of Coventry North West. Your trust in me, in our shared vision, for a brighter future, is truly humbling.”

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

Chi Onwurah continues winning streak

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

Onwurah came victorious with 18,875 votes on July 4 as the Labour Party recorded a landslide win that unseated the Tories.

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

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

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

In her remarks after the secured victory, Onwurah said, “Thank you from the Labour team to everyone in Newcastle Central and West for putting your confidence in Labour and electing me as your Member of Parliament. We will not let you down!”
PUNCH

Headline

US Congressman Accuses Kwankwaso Of Complicity In ‘Death Of Christians’

Published

14 hours ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

United States Congressman Representing West Virginia’s 2nd District, Rep Riley Moore, has accused ex-presidential candidate and former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, of “complicity in the death of Christians” in Nigeria.

This was after Kwankwaso criticised US President Donald Trump for designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern because Christians are allegedly being killed in “record numbers.”

The former governor stated that it is important to emphasise that Nigeria is a sovereign nation whose people face different threats from outlaws across the country. “The insecurity we face does not distinguish based on religious, ethnic, or political beliefs,” he said.

He called on the US to assist Nigeria with better cutting-edge technology to tackle these problems, rather than posing a threat that could further polarise the country.

“The Nigerian government should also consider appointing special envoys from its distinguished diplomats to engage the American government. Additionally, it is necessary to appoint permanent ambassadors to represent Nigeria’s interests on the international stage.

“To my fellow countrymen, this is an important moment where we should emphasise unity of belonging over division,” he said in a statement on his official X account.

Reacting, Rep Moore reminded Kwankwaso of how, during his tenure as Governor of Kano State, he instituted Sharia Law, which made blasphemy punishable by death.

He said on X, “Governor – do you care to comment on your own complicity in the death of Christians? You instituted Sharia law. You signed the law that makes so-called blasphemy punishable by death.”

He said this a few days after US Senator Ted Cruz said he is pushing legislation that will target those who implement blasphemy and Sharia laws in Nigeria.

He said, “I am deeply gratified to President Trump for making this determination. I have fought for years to counter the slaughter and persecution of Christians in Nigeria, and this year introduced legislation that will lock in the designation made today.

“Today’s designation is a critical step in holding accountable and changing the behaviour of Nigerian officials who have facilitated and created an environment conducive to the outrages in Nigeria. My legislation implements additional steps, including targeting those who implement blasphemy and sharia laws in Nigeria, and I am committed to working with the administration and my colleagues to advance my bill and implement these necessary measures. Today’s decision by President Trump is a great one, and I thank him for his strong leadership.”

Headline

Trump To Receive Full Menu Of Options To Stop Nigeria Genocide – US Rep, Moore

Published

14 hours ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

United States representative for West Virginia’s 2nd congressional district, Riley Moore, has revealed that President Donald Trump would receive a full menu of options that he can use to try to stop the alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria.

Speaking to Fox News, Moore stated that Trump would be presented with a range of policy options on how to address the situation.

“We are going to get right to work and get to the bottom of what is happening and give President Trump a full menu of options that we can use to try to stop these killings,” Moore said.

Moore’s comment is coming as Trump hinted at possible military action against Nigeria.

Recall that the US leader had over the weekend warned that he could order US military action if the purported genocide in Nigeria continues

Meanwhile, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu is expected to meet with Trump in the coming days.

Headline

VIDEO: Again, Trump Insists On Christian Killings In ‘Record Numbers In Nigeria’

Published

22 hours ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

United States President, Donald Trump, has again insisted on his condemnation of alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, reiterating that Christians are being killed in record numbers in the West African nation.

Contents
Christian Genocide Saga
Country of Particular Concern
Tinubu fires back at Trump
Trump’s Guns-a-blazing threat

Trump, who spoke to journalists aboard his Air Force One aircraft while returning to White House on Sunday following a weekend trip to Florida, said the United States is not going to allow the “killings” to continue.

“They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria… They’re killing the Christians and killing them in large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen,” Trump said in a short CNN video sighted by Tribune Online.

Christian Genocide Saga

While allegations of Christian genocide are not new, the saga began again recently after a US comedian and HBO host, Bill Maher, accused Islamist groups of carrying out a genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

“I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over a hundred thousand since 2009. They’ve burnt 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram. This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza.

“They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country,” Maher said.

Similarly, US Senator Ted Cruz claimed that Nigerian government officials were “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.”

Cruz also lamented that Christians in the country were being targeted for their faith by terrorist groups and “are being forced to submit to sharia law and blasphemy laws across Nigeria.”

He said it was “long past time to impose real costs on the Nigerian officials who facilitate these activities,” adding that he had introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act to the US Senate to sanction such officials.

In the same vein, Riley Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District in the US Congress, wrote to the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, urging him to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.

Moore also called for a suspension of arms sales and technical support to Nigeria until the government demonstrates commitment to ending what he described as “a reign of persecution and slaughter against Christians.”

However, the Nigerian government, alongside Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), rejected these claims, describing the allegation as a harmful misrepresentation of the country’s complex realities.

Country of Particular Concern

While the controversy surrounding Christian genocide claim was already winding down, the US President’s post on his Truth Social account on Saturday, accusing the Nigerian government of allowing what he described as “killing of Christians” brought the issue again to global attention.

Trump, in the post, alleged that Christianity in Nigeria faces an existential threat from radical Islamist groups who he claimed have been targeting Christian communities in different parts of Nigeria, and announced the designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern.

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” — But that is the least of it.

“When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done! I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me.

“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”

Tinubu fires back at Trump

Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a statement on Saturday, responded to the allegations from the US President, stating that the country guarantees religious freedom for all.

“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” the president wrote in a reaction he personally signed on Saturday and posted on his X handle, @officialABAT.

Trump’s Guns-a-blazing threat

Barely 24 hours after his first comment, President Donald Trump doubled down on the claim, announcing a stop to all aid to Nigeria and ordering his Department of War to prepare for possible action in Nigeria.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the military intervention from the U.S. will “completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

He wrote, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria and may very well go into that now disgraced country, “guns-a-blazing,” to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.

“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”

Confirming the development, US War Secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced that the department is preparing for military operations in Nigeria, giving the Nigerian government two options.