‘I am a Lagosian, Lagos can and should work for us all’ – Funso Doherty
By KEMI KASUMU
Doherty, who was born in Lagos on June 16, 1968, grew up in the Yaba area of the city. He attended Corona School, Victoria Island, and King’s College, Lagos, before proceeding to the University of Lagos, where he studied Accounting and graduated with Second Class Upper Division honours in 1990. He later obtained an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Funso Doherty, the 2027 governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Lagos State, has placed his identity as a Lagosian and his long professional experience at the centre of his campaign for the state’s top political office.
Doherty said his decision to seek the governorship was rooted in his belief that anyone aspiring to govern a place must first understand its history, people and experiences.
“I believe that if you want to govern a place, you must first identify with it, understand its roots, its journey, and the experiences of its people,” he said.
“I am a Lagosian, born and raised here, shaped by this city, its people, its history.”
According to him, his connection with Lagos goes beyond personal attachment, creating what he described as a responsibility to contribute to the improvement of the city and the lives of its residents.
“So, for me, this connection creates not just a sense of ownership, but a sense of responsibility for improving the community I seek to serve and the lives of the people who live here,” he said.
Doherty, who was born in Lagos on June 16, 1968, grew up in the Yaba area of the city. He attended Corona School, Victoria Island, and King’s College, Lagos, before proceeding to the University of Lagos, where he studied Accounting and graduated with Second Class Upper Division honours in 1990. He later obtained an MBA from Harvard Business School.
His professional career has spanned more than three decades across accounting, investment management, pension administration and private investment.
After his National Youth Service in 1991, Doherty worked at Arthur Andersen & Co., now KPMG, before joining Asset & Resource Management Company (ARM) in 1994. He subsequently worked with Goldman Sachs and PNC Advisors in the United States before returning to Nigeria in 2005 as the pioneer Managing Director/CEO of ARM Pension Managers.
He later served in senior private-sector positions, including as Managing Director/CEO of PAL Pensions, where, according to his biography, he oversaw the management of assets exceeding half a trillion naira. He also served as pioneer chairman of the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria.
Doherty entered electoral politics as the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2023 Lagos State election. He subsequently declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election and joined the NDC in May 2026. In June 2026, he formally accepted the NDC’s nomination as its Lagos governorship candidate.
Explaining his transition from the private sector to politics, Doherty said he had decided to devote his experience to public service because of his conviction that Lagos could be better governed.
“After 30 years in the private sector, I made the decision to move into public service because I believe my experience, my understanding of Lagos, and my commitment can be devoted to building a better Lagos,” he said.
He said his vision was for a Lagos in which access to opportunity, dignity and a good quality of life would not be limited to a small section of society.
“Lagos can and should work for us all,” Doherty said.
“Not for the few.
Not for the privileged.
But for all of us.”
His campaign message reflects themes he has previously articulated about governance in Lagos, including accountability, quality of life, dignity, effective public administration and making government more responsive to residents. In his stated vision, he describes a Lagos where families are safe, businesses can thrive and citizens can live with dignity and respect.
Doherty’s 2027 candidacy therefore presents his Lagos identity, private-sector experience and stated commitment to public service as central elements of his argument for political change in the state.
He ended his latest message with the Yoruba expression, “Ó ti yá,” which translates as “It is time.”
The NDC candidate is expected to face other contenders in the 2027 Lagos governorship race as political parties position themselves ahead of the election.
“Lagos is a responsibility”
For Doherty, however, the campaign is not simply about occupying the office of governor. His message frames governance as an obligation to the people and the city that produced him.
His emphasis on being “born and raised” in Lagos is also consistent with his previously published account of his family and upbringing in the state. His biography traces his Lagos roots through his father, Dr. Henry Aderounmu Aremu Doherty, who was also born in Lagos, while Doherty himself spent his formative years in Yaba before attending some of the city’s established schools.
As the 2027 election approaches, Doherty is seeking to make that personal connection with Lagos a central part of his political identity, alongside his record of more than three decades in the private sector.
His campaign slogan remains: “Ó ti yá.”
