How Nigerian politician in US staged racial attacks to win election
Story by Victor Itodo ABUH
Yemi Mobolade, the mayor of Colorado Springs and an African immigrant from Nigeria, has reportedly been arrested by the FBI on accusations of orchestrating a hate crime hoax to gain an electoral advantage.
According to a report by The Daily Wire, the FBI has referred Mobolade for prosecution, alleging that he made false statements regarding a staged racist incident designed to boost his mayoral campaign.
On November 12, the acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado announced charges against three of Mobolade’s supporters—Derrick Bernard Jr., Ashley Blackcloud, and Deanna West—for defacing one of his campaign signs with a racial slur and placing a burning cross nearby. The group allegedly sent videos of the staged scene to media outlets to rally Black voter turnout for Mobolade during the 2023 mayoral runoff election.
The actions were purportedly intended to increase support for Mobolade, a left-leaning candidate, as he faced off against Republican Wayne Williams. Mobolade narrowly won the election in Colorado Springs, a city known for its conservative leanings.
FBI investigators reportedly uncovered communication logs showing frequent contact between Mobolade and Derrick Bernard, the lead suspect, before, during, and after the staged incident. Despite this, Mobolade denied any connection to Bernard during interviews with federal investigators. However, the FBI claims to have retrieved dozens of text messages exchanged between the two, contradicting his statements.
Mobolade allegedly used his phone during these interviews as a memory aid but avoided referencing incriminating text messages, seemingly unaware that the FBI had already obtained them through other means.
Based on these findings, the FBI referred Mobolade to the Department of Justice for prosecution on charges of making false statements to federal authorities.
However, an official remarked on potential hesitancy within the Department of Justice to pursue charges against Mobolade due to his status as Colorado Springs’ first Black mayor. “In my experience, anyone else in that position would have been charged with lying to a federal agent,” the official reportedly stated.
Derrick Bernard Jr., described as a career criminal, has a history of serious offences. In 2018, he was sentenced to 32 months in prison for attempting to kill two police officers and has since been convicted in an unrelated murder case involving a rapper who allegedly insulted him.
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The alleged hate crime hoax occurred in 2023 between the April 4 general election and the May runoff election, where Mobolade ultimately secured his victory. The incident has sparked debate about the integrity of the election process and the extent to which Mobolade may have been involved.
As the case unfolds, it remains to be seen how these allegations will impact Mobolade’s political career and the trust of Colorado Springs residents in their leadership.
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