Nigerians with American citizenship are overwhelmingly voting for the Democratic Candidate, Mrs. Hilary Clinton mostly on account of the disregard they have for the Republican candidate, Donald Trump.
Major cities like Washington, Houston, Dallas and Los Angeles, Americans with Nigerian ancestry, are for the first time organizing program to bring out Nigerians to vote, Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, Secretary of the Nigerian Union Diaspora told Vanguard yesterday ahead of the election.
The group which is the umbrella group of Nigerians in the United States according to him is aiming to use the election to reverse the negative narrative and bias against Nigerians by the mainstream political class in the United States.
In Houston, Texas it is believed that there are at least 150,000 Americans of Nigerian descent city.
Other cities including New York, Los Angeles, Washington, Baltimore also have a huge concentration of Nigerians, but data about them is not available, a development that has made the community to be largely ignored by the political class.
But not anymore according to Dr. Ogbonnia, especially given the fact that a substantial proportion of educated Nigerians are in top positions in the professions in the country.
“Unlike Mr. Trump, Secretary Clinton has the ideal temperament, sound judgment, requisite experiences, and exemplary track record with the Nigerian nation. She has also proposed sensible positions on issues pertinent to Nigerians in America, particularly race relations, education, trade, immigration, and religion.”
Barrister Callistus Uwakwe whose family is voting for Mrs. Clinton told Vanguard yesterday that most minorities are voting against Trump.
“Let me give you the story of what a teacher close to me said. She said that a Chinese child in her school asked if it was true that if Trump wins that there would be a Third World War?
“That is reflective of what people and parents of voting age think of Trump, he said. However, support for Mrs. Clinton is not universal among Nigerians especially given her very liberal social views which conflict with the conservative cultural leanings of many Nigerians who are appalled with her strong support for homosexual rights among other social inclinations that are held at bay by Nigerians.
Mr. Dom Njoku, based in Texas and Professor Christopher Chalokwu, resident in Chicago are among Americans of Nigerian descent voting for Trump.
“For me, I want Donald Trump to win this Presidential election. I believe in his ideas. I am a Republican, and I have never hidden it right from time. When some people call him racist, I keep wondering what they are talking about because racism is all over the world including Nigeria.
“As far as I am concerned, Blacks have not gained anything from the Obama government, so I am voting for Trump, and I will pop champagne when he wins.”
Professor Chalokwu on his part, told Vanguard:
“Even though I do not support most of the statements of Mr. Trump, I am giving him my vote tomorrow (today). What I want a lot of African American to know is that there is no way he will carry out some of the threats he has been saying., I believe in his ideals of turning the economic situation of this country because he is a successful businessman and such, he will bring his wealth of experience to bear at the White House”.
Mr. Chris Egbulonu and Mr. Yomi Balogun are among the Never Trump crowd.
Egbulonu cites his personality and the fact that the Republican candidate did not release his tax returns among the reasons for his opposition to the businessman.
“I do not think he is worth the seat of POTUS (President Of The United States). He never released his tax returns yet he keeps attacking people who have released theirs. I think Americans especially Africans should open their eyes and see the danger in voting this guy”.
For Mr. Yomi Balogun, another Texan voter, he said Mr. Trump was bad news as far as he is concerned. Although he acknowledged the e-mail scandal damaged Mrs. Clinton.
