I Didn’t Know My Running Mate Until APC Picked Her—Lagos Guber Candidate Hamzat

Lagos State Deputy Governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Obafemi Hamzat, has revealed that he had never met his running mate, Damilola Sonayon-James, before the party selected her.

Hamzat disclosed this on Thursday at the public presentation of Who Is She? held at the Syrian Club Event Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he spoke about the process that produced Sonayon-James as the APC deputy governorship candidate.

According to him, although he outlined the qualities he wanted in a running mate, he had no prior relationship with Sonayon-James before her emergence.

He said President Bola Tinubu delegated the responsibility of selecting the deputy governorship candidate to the party after agreeing with his recommendation that the position should go to a young woman.

“The President called me and said, ‘You guys go and sort it out.’ I said, ‘Sir, I think it should be a female.’ He said, ‘It’s okay.’ I said, ‘It should be young.’ He said, ‘It’s okay,’” Hamzat recounted.

He added that the party also considered the state’s political zoning arrangement during the selection process.

According to Hamzat, since he is from Lagos East and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is from Lagos Central, the deputy governorship candidate had to come from Lagos West.

He disclosed that despite eventually becoming his running mate, Sonayon-James was a complete stranger to him.

“Until Damilola was elected, I didn’t know her phone number. I got her phone number from somebody,” he said.

Hamzat, however, maintained that Sonayon-James earned the position on merit, describing her as a committed grassroots politician with a strong record of community service.

“The important thing is that she’s been very active in the community. She’s been doing great things,” he added.

The deputy governor also urged young women not to lose hope in Nigeria, saying the country still provides opportunities for those willing to contribute to public service and national development.

Earlier, the Lagos APC officially unveiled Sonayon-James, the party’s Deputy Woman Leader, as Hamzat’s running mate for the 2027 governorship election.

The party said the Badagry-born politician emerged after extensive consultations and a rigorous selection process, citing her competence, grassroots support, loyalty to the APC and leadership experience.