Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu, Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and aspirant in the 2027 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship race in Kwara State, has formally withdrawn from the contest.

Onilu announced his decision in a statement personally signed and released early Thursday, citing the high calibre of aspirants seeking the party’s governorship ticket as a motivating factor for his withdrawal.

In the statement titled A Call for Understanding, Onilu declared his support for former Kwara APC chairman, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, describing him as the most deserving candidate for the party’s ticket.

“With only one ticket available, it is essential that we rally together to support the one who has been destined for it. We must approach this with a spirit of unity and faith, trusting that this is God’s will,” Onilu said.

He also commended his fellow aspirants for their conduct and urged party members to unite behind Bolarinwa, emphasizing the importance of continuity and collective effort.

Onilu highlighted the significance of sustaining the gains of the APC’s “Otoge” movement, which played a key role in the party’s previous victories in 2019 and 2023.

“The journey to build on the successes of the Otoge movement has only just begun. I am confident we can achieve victory once more in 2027,” he said.

Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, a former APC state chairman from Ifelodun Local Government Area, led the party during its 2019 electoral success under the Otoge campaign, which reshaped the political landscape of the state.

Bolarinwa is now considered a leading contender for the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.

Onilu’s withdrawal signals growing consensus within the party as it positions itself for the upcoming primaries and the general election in Kwara State.