Since the inception of democracy, Plateau State which is supposed to be the fulcrum for Unity and progress in Nigeria has been kept on the edge of the National discourse by the various individuals who have emerged for the position of Governor.

Two decades have passed and the narrative in a state once known for being in the top five for anything and everything good is now in the top five for the very things which threaten the existence of Nigeria as a nation state.

Take the curious case of out of school children in Central Nigeria for instance. Plateau State ranks first in this regard.

Or is it the incessant crises and killings which have bedeviled the citizenry? Or poverty? Unemployment and so on and so forth?
This points to a huge gap in leadership over successive democratic regimes. Previous leaders have not been able to deliver totally on any of the promises which they made prior to taking office.

Once the elections for such expired, all the promises of heaven on earth always went to the rubbish bin and interests of a cabalistic nature then ensued.

Plateau State as a state is one which holds more potential than two thirds of other states combined. From mining to agriculture, trade to human capital, the possibilities are endless!

The previous leaders since 1999 have always emerged from a certain mould; a certain class and group. This particular statistic shows that the group which has always had only specific interests (individual not statewide) seem poised and hell bent on making Plateau state to become the last of her sister states in the Federation in everything.

As such, one would expect that a state which used to have two or three flights daily from various places and now has one seldom flight would have no hope of return to the position of honor and glory for which she was once known.

But dawn beckons and for the first time in two decades a man who burns with a vision not only to return the state to her previous pedestal but also to make new pedestals which future generations can look back on has emerged. His name is Alex Ladan.

Being the youngest gubernatorial candidate in the current political race, Alex has been the candidate with a human face and touch. He feels the pain of the people.

A detribalized and neutral candidate which is rare in the Nigeria’s political space today, Alex Ladan is the ONLY candidate who has come out with his vision for a state which has been continuously bombarded with messages of tribalism, religious and ethnic bigotry and so many other divisive tendencies which are too numerous to mention for want of time and space.

A young man who stands head and shoulders taller than the so-called elite, Alex Ladan is one man who carries the fire of newness in everything in his bones.

He is the only candidate who can passionately talk about the issues without getting sidetracked through casting aspersions on the personalities of other contenders. He is the only candidate who wrote his manifesto himself and can refer to it without looking back at what he wrote down because his desire to run is not one borne out of avarice or an emperor complex, rather it is borne out of a desire to serve his people.

The “little-London” of Nigeria has been left to become a place where only bad news emanates from. The prime destination for all and sundry within and outside Nigeria has now become a place for ultimate avoidance due to one basic factor: bad leadership.

If a state known for its unique role and history in the emergence of the Nigerian state and one which accurately depicts the truly diverse nature of the Nigerian people is left in the hands of those who do not possess the competence required to steer her in the right direction, we shall be doomed to see another four years of stagnation and obduracy.

However, if the beautiful state of Plateau is left in the hands of one man who possesses the passion, the leadership qualities, drive, intelligence, skill and wit to name a few, it is as sure as sunrise that Plateau State once again can indeed become a beacon of hope to all.

Alex Ladan is the man who shall do this by the grace and power of God. His party the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) is the platform he is contesting on to achieve this purpose.

Let us join hands together to create a new Plateau.

Vote Alex Ladan in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections. Vote the Lion (as it is commonly said right now on the streets of Jos in the local Hausa parlance: “Zabi Zaki!”).

Christopher Haruna Hamman is a Writer, Content Developer for both online and offline media , strategist and stand-up guy. His full profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-hamman-84279075