A Nigerian, Tobi Iwobi has become the first black man to be elected a senator in Italy. He was elected on the platform of Matteo Salvini’s anti-immigration league.
Iwobi, 62, was born in Nigeria and came to Italy on a student visa some 40 years ago, before going on to marry an Italian woman and start his own IT company here.
Before running for senator he represented the League as a municipal councillor in Spirano back in the 1990s, and more recently headed Salvini’s national committee on immigration. He becomes the party’s immigration and security chief, speaking regularly on Italian TV. Iwobi led the League’s campaign on Italy’s immigration crisis, under the slogan “stop the invasion”. Iwobi has been in Italy for 38 years.
Toni Iwobi, of Spirano in Lombardy, announced “with great emotion” on his Facebook page that he had been elected to the Senate in Italy’s general election.
“After more than 25 years of fighting as part of the League’s big family, I’m about to start another great adventure,” Iwobi wrote, going on to thank leader Matteo Salvini and his other fellow party members.
“I’m ready, friends,” Iwobi said.
Asked about Iwobi Tuesday, Salvini said: “racism in Italy is only on the left”.
