A chieftain of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Jerry Gana, has disagreed with the belief among some Nigerians that the Presidential Muslim-Muslim ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has come to stay, and it will be repeated in the 2027 election, saying, “I wish they will make that mistake, and it will be a sweet victory for the opposition”.

Prof. Gana was the Director of Mass Mobilisation for Self Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), a political orientation in the country during the regime of the military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

He spoke to journalists at the weekend shortly after he delivered a welcome address as chairman of the occasion organised by Christian Elders Forum of Northern States (NOSCEF).

Reacting to the fact that the Muslim-Muslim ticket appeared to have come to stay in the country, he fired back at newsmen, asking them in return, “Has it come to stay? Has it come to stay?” walking and laughing sarcastically into his waiting vehicle.

The event was titled 2025 Reunion of NOSCEF Members, with the theme “Leading From The Front – The Role of Christian Elders”.

However, Prof. Gana, who was also the Minister of Information under President Olusegun Obasanjo administration and one-time secretary of the PDP Board of Trustees, did not give details about how election victory will become sweet for the opposition in 2027 because of APC Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Nevertheless, he insisted that Nigeria needs quality leadership because according to him, the best leadership has not yet happened to the country, just as he called on Christian Elders and Nigerians to shop for men and women of integrity, honour and wisdom to take the nation to the promised land by the next election.

“In the party that I belong to, we are going to do our very best to ensure that only excellent candidates are given the opportunity to emerge as leaders in the various States and in the nation where men and women of excellence…right from when I was in MAMSER, whatever you are supposed to do, you do it excellently, and therefore we are going to insist that all our candidates for governorship, for Senate, House of Representatives, and the presidential must be men and women of character, integrity, honour and wisdom. Nigeria deserves the best.

“Leaders don’t just emerge, they are deliberately raised and therefore I will like to emphasise what I said earlier during the seminar, that most of us elders in the churches, and other areas of responsibilities, must take time to look at those who are endowed with the quality and characteristics of being good leaders, train them and raise them so that they can give good leadership.

“Nowhere in the world that leaders just emerged, they are trained deliberately and therefore, I want to say to all the churches and elders and then beyond that, those in various political parties, we must pay serious attention to raising high quality leaders, nothing happens without leadership.

“If you want Nigeria to move forward, we must make sure that we raise leaders that are going to give qualitative leadership at the local government level, at the State level, at the national level, it doesn’t just happen, we have to be deliberate and that is what I emphasised to the elders today. I wish them well,” he said.

Earlier, in his welcome address before the Christian Elders which held at HEKAN church, Kaduna, Prof. Gana who is also a member of the NOSCEF noted that, “There is serious decline in quality of leadership in Nigeria. All it takes for Nigeria to move forward is qualitative leadership because God loves Nigeria”.

“Good leaders should ensure the opening of gates for clean and legitimate funds to flow into the national economy to finance investments.

“Currently, very oppressive gate keepers are frustrating good investors in bringing clean funds for investments in Nigeria. It is amazing the high levels of obstacles being built to make it very difficult for investors to bring good funds into Nigeria.

“Good leaders must have the courage to consistently open doors for good investments to flow into the economy.

“Good leaders must never connive with evil gate keepers to keep good investors out of the country. Good leaders should attract massive funds for genuine investments in key sectors.

“Fortunately, Nigeria has a network of vast resources. Let good investors come in and invest to grow the economy.

“Good leadership is the cornerstone of nation-building. Leaders who are visionary, accountable, and inclusive can steer nations toward prosperity and stability.

“Let us commit to nurturing leaders who recognise their responsibility to the people and the institutions they serve. Let us pray for Godly leaders full of wisdom, capacity and integrity,” Prof. Gana said. (Sunday Sun)