By Eric Elezuo

British-Nigerian Born, Kemi Badenoch, the 44-year-old political wizkid, on Saturday won the election to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party. She makes history as the first person of African descent to lead the Tories.

Mrs Badenoch was the only British-Nigerian of the Conservative stock that won her election when the Keir Starmer-led Labour Party coasted to an unprecedented landslide victory in the July 4, 2023 United Kingdom General Elections. She retained her seat. Other Nigerians that made to the Parliament were all of the victorious Labour party.

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.”

Badenoch has served under various prime ministers including Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and recently Keir. Starmer.

The news of Badenoch’s victory was relayed by the Conservative Party, who announced her victory in a post on X on Saturday:

“ANNOUNCED: @KemiBadenoch has been elected Leader of the Conservative Party,” the party tweeted.

The BBC also reported that Badenoch, 44, beat Robert Jenrick after a four-month contest, sparked by Sunak’s resignation in the wake of a humiliating election defeat.

The vote saw a turnout of 72% according to Conservative MP Bob Blackman.

Most people said they had not formed an opinion of Ms Badenoch yet, according to a YouGov poll. But 40 per cent of those questioned said they disliked her.

Former justice secretary Robert Buckland said that as a leader Ms Badenoch “will be an excellent person to work with”, having seen her strong character and abilities first-hand when they worked in government together.

“She knows that the party’s values need to be reset and that we’ve got to win trust as without trust, we don’t get anywhere in terms of electoral success,” he added. “I think she better understands that more than most and that’s why she deserved to win.”

The role as opposition leader was an “unenviable task” and Ms Badenoch “will not be under any doubt about the scale of work ahead to win back power”, he added.

“She is the person who had more MP support than any other in the leadership race so people need to knuckle down and get on with the job of opposing the government, not opposing each other.”

He added that he hoped a “new phase in politics” would see Ms Badenoch unite the party and “the Tories regrouping”.

He also suggested that she listen to think tanks and policy units who have the expertise to provide her with new and innovative policies.

“It’s going to be very hard and unglamorous, but I believe Kemi has the strength of spirit to do it,” he said.

ABOUT KEMI BADENOCH 

Below are some facts about the new Leader of the Conservative party, whose victory is to project Nigeria’s image in the right direction.

1. Badenoch is the Member of Parliament representing Saffron Walden constituency in the UK.

2. In her maiden speech on the floor of the British Parliament, Badenoch revealed that she arrived in the UK aged 16.

3. Badenoch was born Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke in January 1980 in Wimbledon, London to parents of Nigerian origin.

4. Badenoch is married to Hamish Badenoch and they have one daughter and one son

5. Badenoch was first elected as Member of Parliament Saffron Walden on 8 June 2017. She is also the first woman to represent that constituency.

6. She joined the Conservative Party in 2005 at the age of 25.

7. Kemi Badenoch, was once appointed the junior minister for Children and Families by the then British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

Badenoch acknowledged the appointment on her verified Twitter handle, where she said, “I’m humbled to have been appointed a junior minister at the DfE. A huge privilege to be able to serve and make a positive difference on a number of issues close to my heart. I look forward to working with the ministerial team and everyone at @educationgovuk.”

By her election as the leader of the Tories, she has returned to regain the trust of the people, which was lost in July when Sunak was beaten in the general elections.

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.

This is wishing Mrs Kemi Badenoch a successful tenure as the Tory leader.