Jerry Gana

Jerry Gana is a Nigerian scholar, politician, and former senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, serving briefly in 1983 before becoming Director for the Directorate of Food, Roads and Infrastructure (DFRRI). He was later appointed Director of the Mass Mobilization for Social Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMSER) under Ibrahim Babangida, then Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources in the Interim National Government under Ernest Shonekan.

Background

Gana was born on 30 November 1945 at Busu near Bida in Niger State.

He served as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos until 2017.

Political career He was elected Senator in 1983, serving briefly until the military coup that brought General Muhammadu Buhari to power. He was appointed chairman of Mass Mobilisation for Social and Economic Recovery under General Ibrahim Babangida's government. He subsequently became a cabinet minister for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Information and Culture, Cooperation and Integration in Africa and again for Information and National Orientation.

Gana ran unsuccessfully for president in 1992 on the Social Democratic Party platform.

Fourth Republic

Gana was the founding national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998. In January 2001, Obasanjo reassigned his cabinet. In the new cabinet announced in February 2001, Gana was Minister of Information. Gana was also secretary of the PDP Board of Trustees. Gana resigned in July 2006 as special advisor to President Olusegun Obasanjo, and in August 2006 announced he would contend for the PDP candidature for the 2007 presidential elections.