- Julius Oyekunle NC News
It was indeed a tightly contested race in Edmonton South West, as United Conservative Party candidate (Kelechi) Kaycee Madu was declared the winner in Edmonton-South West against John Archer of the New Democrat Party.
It was a close call and if not for the votes swinging to fringe parties, it could have gone either way. Kaycee Madu polled 7,742 to defeat his closest rival, John Archer 6,974.
Archer, 48, a former journalist, worked as a reporter for CBC for more than 22 years and later joined the premier’s office communication team in 2015 and was Transportation Minister Brian Mason’s press secretary.
Mo Elsalhy of the Alberta Party could not give the much needed fight on election day as he came a distant third.
Madu, 45, a Nigerian immigrant, graduated with a bachelor of laws from the University of Lagos. He migrated to Canada in 2005 with his wife who enrolled in postgraduate studies at the University of Alberta.
Kaycee is a lawyer with experience in both solicitor and litigation practice. Kaycee and his wife manage a small law firm in the city. Previously, he worked for Alberta Hospital – Patients Food Services, Legal Aid Alberta, and the Government of Alberta.
Kaycee’s work in government spans through employment standards investigations, strategic and operational public policy, regulatory and legislative reforms, governmental issues management, and stakeholder consultation. He is particularly proud that he and his colleagues completed the Firefighters Regulation before leaving the public service.
Kaycee enjoys giving back to the community in a variety of ways. He volunteers his legal skills with the Law Society of Alberta Lawyer Referral Program and the Edmonton Community Legal Centre (ECLC). He is a member of his cultural association, the Igbo Cultural Association of Edmonton, and supports his community league activities and his church.
The elections of Kaycee has once again proven how immigrants integrate well into the Canadian system.
He is only UCP MLA in Edmonton.
