BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Katsina State, Senator Lado Dan Marke, has made youth employment a central part of his 2027 campaign promises, declaring that graduates should no longer be left with certificates that offer little prospect of a decent livelihood.

He made the pledge on Saturday in Katsina while inaugurating a 17-member advisory committee of his campaign council, where he outlined some of the priorities he hopes to pursue if elected governor.

“For our youths, the time of dumping certificates is over,” Dan Marke said, promising to create conditions that would help young people find jobs, establish businesses and participate more actively in the state's economy.

He identified agriculture, education, healthcare and irrigation as key areas through which his proposed administration would seek to expand economic opportunities and improve living standards.

The PDP candidate also proposed a market-oriented economic approach, saying his administration would encourage private sector investment, tackle poverty and create an environment in which businesses could grow.

He criticised what he described as excessive taxation and extortion, promising measures to reduce the financial pressure on business owners and residents.

Advertisement

On healthcare, Dan Marke said he would pursue the establishment of specialist hospitals to expand access to advanced treatment within the state and reduce the need for residents to travel elsewhere for medical care.

He also pointed to his experience in business management, saying the knowledge he had acquired from running enterprises would inform his approach to economic development.

The inauguration of the advisory committee marked another step in the PDP candidate's preparations for the 2027 governorship election. The party's state chairman, Malam Nura Ahmadi, introduced the 17 members and charged them to remain committed to the party's campaign.

The Director-General of the campaign council, retired Brigadier-General Sagiru Musa, urged party members and supporters to put aside differences and work collectively towards the PDP's goal of taking over the leadership of Katsina State.