Lanre Issa-Onilu, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), is reportedly preparing to enter the Kwara State governorship race, TheCable first reported. The APC chieftain has not yet made a formal declaration but is currently engaged in "fervent consultations" with key political stakeholders before officially declaring his interest.

His potential entry coincides with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having scheduled party primaries between 23rd April and 30th May 2026, within which aspirants are expected to be screened and selected.

A Crowded Field

Issa-Onilu is not alone in his ambitions. The governorship conversation in Kwara has drawn interest from three serving senators, Lola Ashiru, Saliu Mustapha, and Suleiman Sodiq Umar, as well as Lateef Fagbemi, the incumbent Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation. However, several influential stakeholders are reportedly warming up to Issa-Onilu as the preferred successor to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who was swept into office in 2019 on the back of the historic 'O to ge' movement.

AbdulRazaq has since publicly expressed his desire for his successor to build on his legacy.

Insiders told TheCable that the political establishment views Issa-Onilu as someone capable of continuing to "refocus the socioeconomic trajectory of a state that was once pushed to the background by a dynastic rule." His candidacy is described as "easily sellable," with sources citing his wide appeal within the party structure, extensive network, and what they characterise as a "high dosage of progressivism." One stakeholder described him as a "bridge between the old people and the younger," whilst another called him "an all-rounder: a deep thinker, strategist and problem solver, a reformer and performer."

From Newsroom to Party Spokesman to Government Agency

Issa-Onilu brings a career spanning journalism, partisan politics, and public administration. He spent over 25 years as a journalist and communications strategist, working with notable outlets including The Comet and ThisDay, where he served as Group Politics Editor. He later became the APC's National Publicity Secretary before his appointment as NOA Director-General in October 2023.

His tenure at the NOA has earned praise for boosting staff morale, digitalising operations, and driving citizen-friendly communication of government policies. In 2024, he championed the development of CLHEEAN, an AI-powered voice assistant designed to provide Nigerians with easy access to information on government programmes and opportunities.

Ilorin.Info will continue to follow developments in the Kwara governorship race as the primaries window draws closer.