Sherrill formally names Shirley Emehelu as lieutenant governor

Gov. Mikie Sherrill formally nominated Shirley U. Emehelu as New Jersey’s fifth lieutenant governor on Monday, turning to a longtime friend, former federal prosecutor and trusted member of her administration to succeed Rev. Dale Caldwell, who resigned in September following findings of sexual harassment and ethics violations.

The New Jersey Globe first reported on Friday that Sherrill had settled on Emehelu, a 48-year-old Montclair resident who has served as acting state comptroller and acting secretary of state since joining the administration in January.

The appointment makes history on two fronts: Emehelu will become New Jersey’s first immigrant lieutenant governor, and she and Sherrill will be the first two women to hold the state’s top executive offices simultaneously.

“Back in September, I said I wanted a partner in government who would represent my administration and the people of New Jersey with honor and integrity,” Sherrill said. “I found that partner in Shirley, a leader with an exceptional track record of doing right by people.”

Emehelu, who was born in Nigeria and came to the United States at age three, will also continue serving as secretary of state, overseeing elections, tourism, business services and cultural programs.

With no Senate confirmation required, Emehelu was sworn in this morning.  She also does not need Senate approval to serve as Secretary of State.

Sherrill and Emehelu have known each other for more than a decade, first as fellow parents at Watchung Elementary School in Montclair and later as colleagues in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.

That relationship contrasts with Sherrill’s selection of Caldwell as her running mate last year, when the two had only recently become acquainted.

Asked whether her familiarity with Emehelu influenced the decision, Sherrill emphasized her record of public service and understanding of New Jersey’s diverse communities.

“What really spoke to me about Shirley was her history of public service,” Sherrill said.

Emehelu noted that “good government is about prioritizing the people we serve. It’s about honesty, integrity, and transparency.”

“It’s about doing everything you can to help the public good,” she said.  “I promise the people of New Jersey to do exactly that every single day — to fix systems that are broken, to show up for those going through tough times, and to work however and wherever I can to make our state even better.”

Emehelu emerged from a field of candidates that included Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Mercer), the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, who withdrew from consideration last week.

Other finalists included former Associate White House Counsel Justin Dews and Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton. Assemblyman Chigozie Onyema (D-Newark) withdrew earlier in the process.

The search followed Caldwell’s resignation after an internal investigation substantiated allegations that he sexually harassed a female staffer and violated state ethics rules.

Asked whether Caldwell’s departure had changed her vetting process, Sherrill said accountability and integrity remained central considerations.

“It’s always incredibly important to us that we vet people and that we run a government that is not only focused on the people we serve, but focused on accountability,” she said.

Sherrill also rejected suggestions that Caldwell’s misconduct had prompted her to select a woman.

“I did not go into the process thinking that it had to be a certain gender,” she said.

The governor faced questions about concerns from some Black political leaders who had wanted another Black man in the position.

Sherrill said Emehelu would bring perspectives from both Black and immigrant communities while helping advance her administration’s agenda on economic opportunity, homeownership, education and health care disparities.

She also praised Reynolds-Jackson, saying the assemblywoman had chosen to remain in a position where she could advance important legislative priorities, including voting rights.

Emehelu’s handling of last week’s general election appeared to play a significant role in Sherrill’s decision.

She took over the Department of State in September, barely a month before Election Day, amid disputes with the Trump administration over voter information and election administration.

Sherrill credited Emehelu with coordinating state and local election officials and law enforcement to prepare for potential disruptions.

“By the time the final polls closed on Tuesday, about 3 million New Jerseyans had voted without even a hiccup,” Sherrill said.

Emehelu previously served as executive assistant attorney general, the third-ranking official in the Attorney General’s Office, after being appointed by Attorney General Matt Platkin in 2022.

From 2010 to 2019, she was an assistant U.S. attorney, prosecuting complex financial fraud and public corruption cases. She also served as chief of asset recovery and anti-money laundering, overseeing federal forfeiture and victim restitution programs.

Before returning to state government, Emehelu practiced law at Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi, where she handled white-collar criminal defense and government investigations. Earlier, she worked at Debevoise & Plimpton.

A graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School, Emehelu clerked for U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer in Virginia and taught as an adjunct professor at Montclair State University.

Her family has a distinguished medical history. Her paternal grandfather, Dr. Fabian Anene Ositadimma Udekwu, was a pioneer of open-heart surgery in Africa. Both of her parents were physicians.

Emehelu thanked Sherrill for the appointment and acknowledged her husband, Ike, their children, Nnamdi and Amara, her mother, and her late father.

“The through line across my federal and state service has been defending the people who are counting on government to do right by them,” she said.

She promised to emphasize honesty, transparency and accountability while helping Sherrill make New Jersey more affordable and expand economic opportunities.

“As a Black woman and a Nigerian American, I’m proud of what this appointment represents for our state, and especially for the communities that share my heritage,” Emehelu said.

Sherrill will now need to fill the state comptroller’s position, which Emehelu had held before moving to the Department of State.