Hamzat Opens Up on How APC Chose Damilola Sonayon

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

Hamzat made the disclosure during the public presentation of Who Is She?, a book authored by Sonayon-James, at the Syrian Club Event Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos.

According to him, the selection process followed consultations within the Lagos APC after President Bola Tinubu directed the state chapter to resolve the issue of the deputy governorship candidate.

Hamzat said he proposed that the position should be given to a young woman, adding that President Tinubu endorsed the suggestion.

“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 explained that the party also considered Lagos’ zoning arrangement in arriving at its decision.

According to him, with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu from Lagos Central and himself from Lagos East, many party members expected the deputy governorship slot to go to Lagos West.

Hamzat further disclosed that he had no personal relationship with Sonayon-James before her emergence as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.

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

He added that Sonayon-James, the Deputy Woman Leader of the Lagos APC and an indigene of Badagry, was selected based on her competence and qualifications.