LAGOS, Nigeria — The All Progressives Congress in Lagos State has named Damilola Sonayon-James as the deputy governorship candidate to run with Dr. Obafemi Hamzat in the 2027 governorship election.
Sonayon-James, a politician from Badagry in Lagos West Senatorial District, was chosen as Hamzat’s running mate following consultations within the party. Her selection is expected to balance the APC ticket politically and geographically, with Hamzat coming from Lagos East and Sonayon-James representing a key part of Lagos West.
Hamzat, the current deputy governor, emerged as the APC governorship candidate after the party’s primary held at its secretariat in Acme, Ogba. His nomination signalled a major transition within the ruling party as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approaches the end of his second and final term in office.
The APC is expected to present the Hamzat–Sonayon-James ticket as a continuity platform built around infrastructure, revenue growth, transport reforms, security, housing and social development. Party leaders say the goal is to consolidate the policies of the Sanwo-Olu administration while expanding political inclusion across the state’s divisions.
Sonayon-James’s emergence is also being viewed as a strategic move to strengthen the APC’s appeal among women, youth and voters in Badagry and other parts of Lagos West, the state’s largest senatorial district. Lagos West has traditionally been crucial to governorship calculations because of its population size and electoral weight.
Her nomination comes as the Lagos APC prepares for what could be a closely watched 2027 contest. Although the party has dominated Lagos politics since 1999, opposition parties have made stronger showings in recent elections, particularly in parts of the state where younger voters have demanded more accountability and broader representation.
Hamzat, a former commissioner and two-term deputy governor, is widely regarded within the APC as an experienced administrator with deep knowledge of state governance. His supporters say he offers stability and institutional continuity. Critics, however, argue that the APC will still need to convince voters that continuity can address lingering concerns over cost of living, traffic congestion, housing affordability, flooding and public services.
The choice of Sonayon-James now completes the ruling party’s governorship ticket and sets the stage for broader mobilisation ahead of the election. The APC is expected to intensify grassroots consultations across the state’s local governments as it works to retain control of Nigeria’s commercial capital.
