The name is KC Ohaebosim, the first Nigerian elected Lieutenant Governor of Kansas. In equal stress, he is the first Nigerian-American to hold the position in the United States.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, announced the development in a post on X on Friday, congratulating Ohaebosim on his victory in the November 3 midterm elections.
“Nigerian American KC Ohaebosim WON in Kansas! The race has been called. ‘Wichita Democrat KC Ohaebosim was elected Lieutenant Governor,'” she wrote. “He’s now the 1st Nigerian-American to become Lieutenant Governor in the US. Hearty Congrats.”
A lieutenant governor performs duties equivalent to those of a deputy governor in countries like Nigeria.
Ohaebosim, a Wichita Democrat, will serve alongside Governor-elect Cindy Holscher, a Democrat from Overland Park who narrowly defeated Republican Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson.
According to a report by Kansas City public radio station KCUR on Thursday, Holscher won by about 0.6 per cent, representing fewer than 8,000 votes, after an audit delayed the official declaration of the winner for more than a week after Election Day.
Ohaebosim, a Democrat from Wichita, has represented the 89th District in the Kansas House of Representatives since 2017. He did not seek re-election to the state House in 2026 after joining Holscher’s gubernatorial ticket.
Born in Wichita, Kansas, he is the son of Nigeria-born Dr Linus Ohaebosim, a physician. He spent part of his childhood and received some of his early education in Nigeria before returning to Kansas, where he attended Wichita Heights High School.
He later earned a bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University and a Master of Business Administration from Newman University, both in Wichita.
Before entering politics, he worked in technology-related roles, including as a data analyst. In the Kansas House, he served on several committees, including Transportation, General Government Budget, and Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, where he was the ranking minority member.
