By Musbau Rasak
All things being equal, Princess Damilola Sonayon James, All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy Governorship candidate in Lagos State for the 2027 general election is set to become the youngest ever Deputy Governor in the history of the state since its creation in 1967, reports thegazellenews.com
On Monday, 8 June, 2026, the APC Chairman in Lagos State, Pastor Cornelius Oyefolu Ojelabi, officially presented Princess Sonayo James as the party’s chosen running mate to Dr Kadir Obafemi Hamzat in the coming governorship election in the state.
Thegazellenews.com reported that the presentation was made in the presence of the current state Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu; Hamzat himself; and members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) led by their Chairman, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi.
The presentation officially stamped the reports circulating in the media that the Kweme Princess has been chosen as the running mate to Dr Hamzat.
All things being equal, with APC and Progressives at large controlling the politics of the tiniest but wealthiest state in Nigeria, Princess Sonayon James is expected to be sworn-in, by the special grace of God, as the Deputy Governor of Lagos State on Saturday, 29 May, 2027.
When this is achieved, God’s willing, she will become the youngest ever Deputy Governor in the history of the state since its creation in 1967. By May 2027, she will be 42 years old.
The emergence of Sonayo James gives the Lagos APC leading role in propagating the ideals of the party. Her emergence has scored two major political points – giving the female gender the opportunity to excel and allowing the younger generation the opportunity to participate in governance by giving them critical role to play.
A prominent politician, sustainability expert and business executive, Sonayon James is known for her grassroots political engagement and advocacy for women’s participation in leadership and governance.
Over the years, Sonayon James has played key roles within the APC structure in Lagos and has also served as Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture and Social Services in Badagry West Local Council Development Area.
She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, as well as a degree in Business and Human Resources Management from the University of Hull, United Kingdom.
Beyond politics, she has established a career spanning human resources, logistics and sustainability management. She is the Chief Executive Officer of DGS Chauffeurs and Logistics.
Currently, the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule remains the youngest Deputy Governor in Lagos State.
Adebule was only 45 when she took Oath of Office on 29 May, 2015 also on the platform of APC. She was a deputy to then Governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode. She left office on May 29, 2019 after spending four years in office.
Late Chief Rafiu Adeyefa Bakare Jafojo born in 1935, became Deputy Governor of Lagos State at the age of 45 years on 1 October, 1979. He was deputy to late Lateef Kayode Jakande of the now defunct Unity Party Of Nigeria (UPN). He left office on 31 December, 1983 after spending four years and 91 days.
Next on the list was Alhaja Sinatu Aderoju Ojikutu. Born in 1946, Alhaja Ojikutu was 46 years old when she was sworn-in as Deputy to Late Sir Micheal Otedola, after they have been elected on the platform of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC).
She left office on 17 November,1993 after spending one year, 319 days.
Otunba Femi Pedro is next. He became Deputy Governor of Lagos State at 47 years-old on 14 January, 2003 and he left office on 10 May, 2007 after four years and 116 days in office on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD). Pedro was deputy to then Governor of the state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu now president of Nigeria.
Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan became Deputy Governor of Lagos State at the age of 51 on 29 May, 2007 on the platform of the now defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). She was deputy to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. Sosan left office on 29 May, 2011 after spending four years in office.
Alhaja Lateefat Modupeola Okunnu, born December 3, 1939, became Deputy Governor of Lagos State at the age of 51 years on July 1, 1990. She was Deputy to then Colonel Raji Rasaki. She left the post on January 2, 1992 after spending one year and 215 days in office.
Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, now the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), became Deputy Governor of the state at the age of 52 years on 29 May, 2011 and she left office after spending four years under the then Governor Fashola on the platform of APC.
Current Deputy Governor and APC Governorship Candidate, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat became Deputy Governor at the age of 54 years on 29 May, 2019. He also holds the record for the longest serving Deputy Governor in the state.
Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele became Deputy Governor of the state at the age of 60 years on 29 May, 1999, becoming the second oldest Deputy Governor in the history of the state. She was impeached on 16 December, 2002 after spending 3 years and 201 days in office. She was Deputy to the then Governor Tinubu, now President of Nigeria, on the platform of AD.
Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, a former Chairman of AD in the state is the oldest ever Deputy Governor in Lagos.
Not only that, his tenure in office was the shortest in the history of Lagos State.
Ogunleye became Deputy Governor at the age of 67. He took Oath of Office on 15 May, 2007 and left on 29 May, 2007, spending only 14 days in the post.
Speaking on the importance of giving important administrative office to someone so young, a Chieftain of the party in the state told thegazellenews.com that the party is making generational shift towards giving youths sense of belonging by giving them the opportunity to serve at high level.
“We are not only giving the youth sense of belonging, we are also showing our gender sensitivity. The party did not only give a youth the ticket to vie with our candidate but we also ensure that the candidate is a female,” the Chieftain told our correspondent.
He told thegazellenews.com that APC is a party that listens and operate within the yearnings of the people. “The youths are coming up, they are yearning to be given opportunities to serve. They are no more the leaders of tomorrow, they are here today, hence there is every need to give them the opportunity to serve at the highest level,” he said.
A legal practitioner, Adekunle Owolabi, esq, described the decision to pick Sonayon James as APC’s display of ‘sophistication, style and progressivity’.
“Apart from her gender, which is not a novelty in political of the Centre of Excellence, her age sets a new political record in the state,” Barrister Owolabi told thegazellenews.com
According to him, Lagos State had had four women as Deputy Governors in the past in the current democratic dispensation, none of them is this young as Senayon- James, who is just four decades and two years old when she will be sworn-in in 2027.
“This political arrangement makes Lagos State dynamic and progressive in leadership choice among its peers in the country.
“With the emergence of youthful Sonanyon James, I believe that it won’t be long that younger political elements will take over the mantle of leadership in Lagos,” he said.
He stated further that this step makes Lagos taking the bold step to elect the first female Governor in the country in the very nearest future.
“Taraba State almost broke the jinx of maculi e political domination during the 2022 general election but Mama Taraba narrowly lost the election,” he said.
As the parties get set to commence full campaign when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) blows the whistle, all eyes will be on the young deputy governorship candidate in Lagos ahead of 2027 general elections.
