Nigeria, April 2 -- An aspirant in the 2027 governorship race in Kwara State and Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu, has withdrawn from the contest.

His decision was contained in a statement he personally signed and released in the early hours of Thursday.

The move comes as political calculations intensify within the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of its primaries.

What the statement says Onilu, a journalist and media executive, said he was encouraged by the calibre of aspirants seeking the party's governorship ticket.

He, however, announced that he had resolved to step down and back former Kwara APC chairman, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, whom he described as deserving of the ticket....