Lathrop City Councilman Paul Akinjo plans to run for the mayor’s seat in November 2026.

Last week, Lathrop Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal – who is currently serving an unprecedented sixth consecutive term at the helm of the fast-growing city – announced that he intends to run for the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors next year to replace Tom Patti after he finishes his second consecutive term.

Supervisors are limited to only two consecutive terms.

Dhaliwal stepping away after more than two decades serving the community means that longtime members of the council like Akinjo will get the chance to replace him and help steer the city through its unprecedented period of growth.

“The satisfaction of serving the residents of Lathrop is actually devoid of any financial gains,” Akinjo said about his service to the community. “I am ready to serve the community even at a higher level of commitments.”

While Dhaliwal’s tenure as mayor and a member of the council occurred during a massive transformation for Lathrop – the city went from facing a $16 million budget deficit to being one of the most financially solvent cities in all of California – a good portion of those decisions were made with Akinjo also on the dais at city hall.

First elected in 2012, Akinjo – currently in the middle of his third term on the council – has been part of the decision-making body in Lathrop for more than a decade. He has served as Vice Mayor during his tenure and has developed a reputation for speaking his mind about the issues that are before the council – even if that means that he’s in opposition to the rest of his peers on the dais.

Akinjo currently serves as a Director of the Tri-Valley San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission as well as a Director of the San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency. During his time as an elected official Akinjo has also lobbied on behalf of Lathrop’s citizens and citizens from the wider area on the San Joaquin Council of Governments’ annual One Voice trip to Washington D.C.

To contact Bulletin reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.