A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana, has called on political parties to prioritise quality leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Gana made this call on Saturday in Kaduna State while speaking with journalists shortly after the 2025 Reunion of the Northern States Christian Elders Forum.

According to the elder statesman, Nigeria can only overcome its current challenges if men and women of character, integrity, and competence emerge to lead the nation.

He noted that leadership recruitment in Nigeria often failed because political parties neglected merit in favour of vested interests.

This is as he called on political parties to prioritise competence, character, and integrity in selecting candidates for elective positions in 2027.

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Speaking about his party, the PDP, Gana said he had always championed excellence in leadership selection.

“Nowhere in the world do leaders emerge by accident. They are trained deliberately. That is why I want to appeal to churches, elders, and political leaders to pay serious attention to raising high-quality leaders.

“Nothing happens without leadership. If we want Nigeria to move forward, we must be intentional about this.

“In the party I belong to, the People’s Democratic Party, I do my very best to ensure that only excellent candidates are given the opportunity to emerge as leaders.

“We are going to insist that all our candidates for governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and the presidency must be men and women of character, integrity, honour, and wisdom. Nigerians deserve the best.”