The Lagos State Deputy Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Princess Damilola Sonayon-James, has urged young people to hold her accountable and demand access to her whenever necessary, declaring that they should “break my door down” if she shuts them out.
Newsconnect online reports that Sonayon-James made the statement during the official launch of KOHtinuity and the inauguration of its campaign secretariat in GRA, Ikeja, where she described the political mandate she shares with the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, as a collective responsibility that must involve young people.
Addressing young leaders and party stakeholders at the event, she stressed that the future of Lagos State should not be left in the hands of a few individuals but shaped collectively by the present generation.
“This is a mandate I can’t own by myself. It’s a collective mandate of young people, a collective mandate that we owe to the next generation,” she said.
The deputy governorship candidate urged youths to actively participate in governance and hold political leaders accountable, insisting that her emergence was not just about her personal ambition but about creating opportunities for a new generation of leaders.
“If I don’t open my door, you need to break it down. It is not about Damilola; it’s about the future of Lagos. If I don’t give you access, call for me, call me out,” she declared.
She described her pairing with Dr. Hamzat as an opportunity for cross-generational leadership, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had presented Lagos with an experienced leader willing to invest in the next generation.
Sonayon-James expressed confidence that the leadership transition being championed in Lagos could inspire similar developments across Nigeria’s 36 states by 2031.
Earlier, one of the convener of KOHtinuity, Oluwatoyin Atanda Rufai in her welcome address, explained that the initiative was established six months ago by a group of Senior Special Assistants to the Lagos State Governor to mobilise young people across the state’s five IBILE divisions—Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Epe—for the APC and its governorship ticket.
She said the platform was created to sustain the Lagos development agenda while bridging the gap between government policies and young people, encouraging youths to become active contributors to governance rather than mere spectators.
The initiative has established a campaign secretariat in GRA, Ikeja, alongside a digital war room for monitoring public sentiment and responding to misinformation, a multilingual campaign platform in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Pidgin, and a social documentary series tagged KOH Revealed.
It has also established the IBILE Network, bringing together 200 young leaders representing different parts of Lagos State.
Also speaking the Director General of Lagos state Pbat-Koh campaign Senator Musiliu Obanikoro ably represented by Mr Abiodun Bambgoye averred that he has taking notes of details from the event and promised to revert to his principal. He said the team has demonstrated that they are digital savy with their launched platforms. He said it is commendable and encouraged them to keep it up.
In his remarks, Lagos State APC Youth Leader, Hon. Damilare Orimoloye, assured young people that the party’s engagement with them would not end after the elections.
He promised that the APC youth structure would pursue inclusive and sustainable projects designed to benefit young people beyond the campaign period.
Also speaking in an interview with this medium ar the event, Durojaiye Babatunde, Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Local Government and Rural Development, said the KOHtinuity secretariat was established to galvanise support for Dr. Hamzat.
He explained that the digital war room would monitor public conversations, identify false narratives, verify information and disseminate accurate details about the campaign and its proposed PROMISE Manifesto.
Babatunde encouraged young people to embrace participation and remain committed to their aspirations, noting that the efforts they make today could open doors to opportunities in the future.
The event also featured discussions on the PROMISE Manifesto and its potential impact on young people and women in Lagos State.
