Four British born Nigerians have won parliamentary election in the just concluded British polls. They are 36 year old Chuka Umunna, 53-year-old Ms. Helen Grant, 50 year old Chi Onwurah and 46 year old Kate Osamor.

Chuka Umunna, of Labour Party, won the elections to represent Streatham. He has served Streatham as Member of Parliament since 2010. Umunna is the current Shadow Business Secretary since 2011.

Born in London of mixed Nigerian, English and Irish parentage, Umunna went to school in Streatham and Catford. He obtained a degree in English Law and French Law and spent some time at the University of Burgundy, before attending Law School in Nottingham. His father, Bennett, died in a road accident in Nigeria in 1992.

His mother, Patricia, is a solicitor and daughter of Sir Helenus Milmo QC, the Anglo-Irish High Court judge. Umunna was educated at Hitherfield Primary School in Streatham, South London, and the Christ Church Primary School in Brixton Hill.

Helen Grant won the seat for Member of Parliament representing Maidstone and The Weald in Kent. She secured the seat for Maidstone and the Weald constituency with 23,491 votes (48.0 per cent), beating second and third runner-ups Peter Carroll, a Liberal Democrat, who garnered 17,602 votes (36.0 per cent) and Rav Seeruthun of Labour with 4,769 (9.7 per cent)

Helen Grant is a British Conservative Party politician and solicitor. She is the current Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald in Kent and the current Minister for Sport, Tourism and Equalities. She was elected at the 2010 general election, replacing the constituency’s previous incumbent, Ann Widdecombe, who had decided to step down as an MP. Grant was the first black woman to be selected to defend a Tory seat and her election made her the Conservatives’ first female black MP.

Chi Onwurah became the first African woman to win a parliamentary seat, in Newcastle Central when she was elected in 2010. Again, during the recently election held three days ago, Onwurah secured the parliamentary seat with 15,692 votes (45.9 per cent), beating Gareth Kane, a Liberal Democrat with 8,228 votes (24.1 per cent), and Conservative’s Nick Holder with 6,611 votes (19.4 per cent).

She is a British Labour Party politician and Newcastle’s first black MP. Onwurah was born to a Nigerian father and British mother.

A graduate of Electrical Engineering, she served as Head of Telecoms Technology at OFCOM, with a focus on broadband provision before she became a Member of Parliament.

Born in Wallsend, Onwurah grew up on Hillsview Avenue in Kenton and went to Kenton School before studying Electrical Engineering in London.

Kate Osamor who is a trade union activist, won Edmonton seat for Labour with a comfortable win over the Conservatives. She was born to Nigerian parents.

The Labour candidate, who is taking the reins from long-standing MP Andy Love, gained a huge 25,388 votes, beating closest rival Conservative Gonul Daniels, who gained 9,969 votes.

Ms Osamor, who has worked for the National Health Service (NHS) for 15 years, is a trade union activist, a women’s charity trustee and a member of the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee.

It was in February this year that Ms Osamor was selected as the Labour Party’s parliamentary candidate for the Edmonton constituency after stiff contest with fellow Nigerian diasporan Kate Anolue. She made funding the NHS, opposing its fragmentation and standing up to government cuts the centrepiece of her campaign.

Kate is the daughter of popular local UK politician, Martha Osamor, who was a former Haringey councillor and community leader on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham. She was also vice-chair of the party’s Black section. [myad]

A South African man has told the Police how he was kidnapped and raped by three women in Cape Town.

The 33 year old man, whose identity is being kept away from the media, said the women had stopped him in their car to ask for directions and as he was talking to them, one of the women brought out a gun, and forced him into the back of their black BMW and drove away.

He said they drove him to an unknown place far from where they kidnapped him, then they began touching him to get aroused. When he didn’t, because the only thing he said he felt then was fear, the women forced him to drink an ‘unknown substance’ from a bottle to make him hard.

He said all the three women then took turns on him and when he came, they took his semen in plastic bags, placed them in a cooler box. When they were done with him, they kicked him out of the car around Kwazakhele township, Port Elizabeth, and made off with his sperm.

The man reported the incident to the police who are now investigating, said a South Africa police officer. [myad]

President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain on his victory in the country’s general elections even as he also congratulated the former Nigeria Head of Interim government, Chief Earnest Shonekan on his 79th birthday anniversary.
A separate statements today by special adviser to President Jonathan on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati quoted the President as also felicitating with the British Conservative Party for the electoral victory,
President Jonathan assured Prime Minister Cameron and Conservative Party of the best wishes of the Government and people of Nigeria as they get set to form a new British Government backed by the clear majority in Parliament which they won in the elections.
The President wished that the historic relationship between Nigeria and Britain which received a significant boost during the past five years of his Presidency in Nigeria and Mr. Cameron’s first term in office, will continue to blossom in coming years for the benefit of both countries and their citizens.
Jonathan hoped that both countries will continue to strengthen current bilateral cooperation between them in critical areas such as the fight against insurgency and terrorism, education, trade, infrastructure and the achievement of Nigeria’s development targets.
He wished Prime Minister Cameron a very successful new term in office, hoping that he will continue to serve the people of Britain and the global community to the best of his immense God-given abilities.
In the congratulatory message to Chief Shonekan at 79, President Jonathan said that Nigeria owes the former Head of State a huge debt of gratitude for his immense contributions to national development.
“On behalf of my family, the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I write to felicitate with you on the occasion of your 79th birthday anniversary, tomorrow, May 9, 2015.
“Over the years, you have always readily given of yourself to the cause of peace, stability, growth and development in our country, Nigeria. For this, we owe you an enduring debt of gratitude.”
The President wished Chief Shonekan a very happy birthday and prayed that God Almighty will continue to guide and bless him.
This was even as the President felicitated with former governor of old Anambra state, Chief Jim Nwobodo who celebrates his 75th birthdaytomorrow.
He noted that Chief Nwobodo had every cause to celebrate and thank God Almighty for His benevolence on the joyful occasion of his 75th birthday anniversary.
“In a life that has seen you reach the apex of your entrepreneurial, public service and political endeavours, there is great cause for you, members of your family, your many associates, protégés and well-wishers to thank Almighty God for His benevolence upon you.
“As you deservedly celebrate this landmark, it is my prayer that Almighty God continues to bless you with robust health and many more years of happiness.”

[myad]

The British Prime Minister, David Cameron has been re-elected and vowed to make Great Britain ‘greater still’ as he set out on how he will use his shock outright Tory majority to ensure the ‘good life is in reach for everyone who is willing to work and do the right thing’.

The Prime Minister made a statement outside Number 10 to pay tribute to both Labour’s Ed Miliband and his former Lib Dem deputy Nick Clegg who have both resigned after suffering heavy losses in one of the most unpredictable election results for a generation.

The final results after the polls showed Tories leading with 331 (up 25), Labour 232 (down 24), SNP 56 (up 50), Lib Dems 8 (down 48), Ukip 1 (down 1)

The three political leaders then emerged, barely an hour later, to stand side by side at the Cenotaph to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VE Day.

Cameron had earlier walked out the doors of Number 10 to declare he was forming a majority Tory government after routing Labour and the Liberal Democrats in the biggest electoral shock in living memory.

The PM returned to Downing Street with his wife, Samantha, after making the short trip to Buckingham Palace for a meeting with the Queen to confirm what he described as the ‘sweetest victory of all’.

Big political names including Ed Balls, Vince Cable, Ed Davey, Doulgas Alexander, David Laws, Jim Murphy and Esther McVey all lost their seats as the political map of Britain was dramatically redrawn with vast swathes of Tory blue and SNP yellow.

In an incredible night of political drama, Labour suffered a bloodbath in Scotland and failed to make any gains in England. Mr. Miliband said he accepted ‘absolute and total responsibility’ for the electoral disaster, and resigned with immediate effect. His deputy Harriet Harman also announced she will stand aside.

Mr. Clegg, who was left as just one of eight MPs to survive the near-destruction of the Lib Dems, also resigned – admitting he had led the party to its worst ever defeat.

It came after Ukip’s Nigel Farage threw in the towel within minutes of receiving confirmation that he had lost his bid to enter Parliament. But in a surprise announcement Mr Farage suggested he could return as party leader in the Autumn.

Cameron said he would use the 331 MPs he will have in the Commons to implement the Tory manifesto in full, promising more apprenticeships, income tax cuts and an in-out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU.

But he also signaled that he would sign off a massive devolution of powers to Scotland, after Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP stunned everyone to win 56 of 59 seats in Scotland.

With the world’s media gathered in Downing Street, a visibly relieved Mr Cameron said he wanted to finish the job of fixing Britain’s economy.

The Prime Minister said: ‘When I stood here five years ago – our country was in the grip of an economic crisis. Five years on Britain is so much stronger.

‘But the real opportunities lie ahead. Everything I’ve seen over the last five years and indeed over this election campaign has proved once again that this is a country with unrivalled skills and creativeness. This is a country with such good humour and such great compassion.

‘I’m convinced that if we can draw on all of this, then we can take these islands with our proud history and build an even prouder future – together we can make Great Britain greater still.’  [myad]