Yemi Mobolade, a Nigerian immigrant and successful businessman, has been elected the mayor of Colorado Springs, a municipality in Colorado in the United States.
He won the seat with no political experience. Mobolade becomes the mayor after he defeated Wayne Williams on Tuesday night in the city’s runoff contest.
Mobolade’s victory represents a political earthquake in Colorado Springs, long known as a conservative stronghold. Wayne Williams is a Republican while Mobolade is unaffiliated.
The Nigerian received 57% of the vote to Williams’ 43% as of 7:15 p.m. Tuesday. Williams conceded at about 7:30 p.m. When the second batch of results was released shortly before 9 p.m., the percentages hadn’t shifted.
Mobolade will succeed Mayor John Suthers, a former federal prosecutor and Colorado attorney general who was term-limited, to become the city’s 42nd mayor.
Mobolade, a married father of three, moved to Colorado Springs in 2010 and quickly became a leader in the business community.
He cofounded two popular restaurants — The Wild Goose Meeting House and Good Neighbours Meeting House — in Colorado’s second-largest city and served as its small business development administrator.
He was also the vice president of business retention and expansion for the Colorado Springs Chamber and Economic Development Corporation.