The Plateau State governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Samuel Danauta Kyarkshik, has unveiled his manifesto ahead of the 2027 governorship election, promising to tackle insecurity, poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment in the state.
Kyarkshik unveiled the manifesto in Jos on Tuesday, describing Plateau as a state with enormous economic potential that has not been fully harnessed.
He said the state possesses more than 50 solid minerals, extensive agricultural resources and significant human capital, but argued that these resources have not been adequately converted into industries, jobs and wealth for residents.
The APM candidate identified security as the first priority of his proposed administration, promising a more aggressive approach to tackling attacks and criminality.
He said his administration would reopen unresolved cases of killings and pursue those responsible for attacks on communities, while also working to return displaced residents to their ancestral homes.
On the economy, Kyarkshik unveiled what he described as a 120-page development blueprint and economic master plan focused on industrialisation, agriculture, skills development and job creation.
He cited Plateau’s mineral resources, including lead, graphite, barite and copper, as opportunities for establishing industries such as battery, electrical and automobile-component manufacturing.
He also highlighted the potato value chain, saying the state could generate more employment and revenue by processing its agricultural produce locally rather than exporting raw products.
The candidate promised to establish a drug rehabilitation centre for young people battling addiction and proposed skills-development programmes aimed at reducing unemployment and poverty.
He also pledged free healthcare and education, saying Plateau had the resources to provide such services if its economy and public finances were properly managed.
Responding to questions on the Jos Terminus Market, Kyarkshik said he would rebuild the market at its existing location, proposing a modern multi-storey facility with additional commercial and parking spaces.
He also criticised the reliance on palliatives as a solution to poverty, arguing that skills acquisition and sustainable employment would provide longer-term solutions.
Kyarkshik said his candidacy was not driven by opposition to Governor Caleb Mutfwang, but by what he described as the need to address the state’s persistent challenges.
“I am not fighting the governor,” he said. “My party, APM, is not fighting Caleb Mutfwang and his people. We are fighting issues on the Plateau.”
He said the blueprint was designed to provide a practical roadmap for transforming Plateau’s natural resources and human capital into sustainable economic opportunities.
