The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has named Princess Damilola Sonayon-James as its deputy governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Sonayon-James will run alongside the party’s governorship candidate and incumbent Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, as the ruling party intensifies efforts to retain control of Nigeria’s commercial capital.
Party sources disclosed that the decision followed extensive consultations among key stakeholders and was aimed at strengthening the APC’s campaign structure and grassroots appeal across the state.
The Hamzat–Sonayon-James ticket is expected to be formally unveiled in the coming days as political activities gather momentum ahead of the election.
A prominent politician, sustainability expert and business executive, Sonayon-James currently serves as the Deputy State Chairman of the APC in Lagos State.
Her emergence is being viewed by political observers as a strategic move by the party to consolidate support among women, youths and grassroots communities.
Before her elevation to the position of Deputy State Chairman, she served as the Lagos APC State Assistant Woman Leader, where she played a key role in mobilising support for the party across various constituencies.
At the local government level, Sonayon-James was elected Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture and Social Services in Badagry West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), where she contributed to community development initiatives and social welfare programmes.
Beyond politics, she is a certified Sustainability Risk and Strategy Consultant with experience spanning both the public and private sectors.
She is the founder of the BSJ Foundation, a non-governmental organisation focused on women empowerment, youth development and community sanitation.
She also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of DGS Consulting.
Sonayon-James hails from the royal family of the ancient Kweme Kingdom in Badagry, Lagos State. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Human Resources Management from the University of Hull, United Kingdom, and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).
