How I won election in US – Nigerian-born Beroro Efekoro

Beroro T. Efekoro has narrated how he became a Legislator-Elect in Albany County Legislature in the United States.

He defeated incumbent Douglas Bullock to win the District 7 election in November, 2019.

Efekoro said he was born in Delta State but grew up in Delta and Lagos States.

“I was in senior secondary school class II when I moved, together with my siblings, to join our father in the United States in the summer of 2008,” the legislator-elect stated.

He said he completed his high school in Brooklyn and in May 2015, he graduated from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, State University of New York at Albany.

“I held multiple student leadership positions on campus and that helped positioned me into seeking public office after graduating,” he said.

Speaking on strategy to get people’s support, Efekoro said “The only strategy is to do the work and keep hope alive” because “Generally, people respond positively to success; every single person out there has a challenge they are facing and no one is looking for you to add to their burden. So the best way to draw people to you for their support is to be positive”.

On winning the election, he said “We ran a campaign that was based on ideas and a vision for a better community and people gravitated to it. My election was against a twelve years incumbent that was very prominent in the county and state”.

“People were scared for me at first because they believed I was going on a political suicide mission, but I knew I had what it takes and with God I can do all things,” he explained.

He stressed that winning the election “was no magic”, as they “ran a very positive campaign that was based on ideas”.

On Nigerian politics, Efekoro said “I would not like to get into Nigerian politics at this time, but in my last Independence Day message to Nigeria in which I tagged President Buhari, I advised that the government of Nigeria should pursue policies that enables her to live within her means”.

He added that he believes Nigeria needs a total revolution of the judicial, law enforcement and the education system if the nation wants to make any significant strides towards becoming a world leader.

“The easiest way for such a revolution to happen is to have the youth pursue the change they desire through advocacy, community service, and running for public office. You don’t have to win, put enough effort and with time you will be up there with the rest them,” he proffered.

On Nigeria youth in politics, he said they “need to be more proactive in their quest for good governance”.

This, he said, was because “When the news of my electoral victory went out in Nigeria, I read some comments from a few youths that say, I wouldn’t had been given such an opportunity in Nigeria by the Nigerian leaders. Some opportunities are given, some are demanded. Running against a twelve years incumbent is not an opportunity handed out like an inheritance, it’s something that requires some sacrifices, “just do it”.”