Hon. Sunday Garba Biggs has officially declared his intention to contest for the governorship of Plateau State under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The declaration, which took place on April 29, 2026, attracted a wide array of party stakeholders and supporters within and outside Plateau State. Notable attendees included members of the Mangu PDP Local Government Area (LGA) Executive Committee, councillorship aspirants, House of Assembly aspirants from both Mangu North and South, as well as other key political figures.
Among those present was Hon. Nathaniel Godfrey, the PDP LGA Chairman in Mangu, who reaffirmed the strength and relevance of the party. In his remarks, he emphasized that the PDP remains vibrant and active, dismissing any claims of decline.

In his official declaration speech, Hon. Sunday Garba Biggs expressed deep gratitude to God and appreciation to party leaders, stakeholders, and citizens for their continued support and commitment to the development of Plateau State. He described his decision to run for governor as one driven not by personal ambition, but by a genuine desire to serve the people and reposition the state for growth and prosperity. Highlighting his background in the civil service, where he rose to the peak of his career, Biggs noted that his experience has equipped him with a clear understanding of the state’s needs and the pathway to effective governance. He pledged to adopt a leadership style centered on inclusiveness, accountability, and responsiveness to the collective aspirations of the people.

Addressing key challenges facing the state, including economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, and infrastructural deficits, he stressed the need for a new direction. He outlined his vision to build a peaceful and secure Plateau State, create employment opportunities through agricultural revitalization and business support, improve education and healthcare systems, and develop critical infrastructure.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of unity and inclusive governance across ethnic, religious, and social divides, calling on citizens to work together toward a shared future.

Hon. Biggs also extended a message of partnership to members and leaders of the PDP, urging unity within the party to achieve electoral success and deliver good governance. He specifically encouraged youths and women to actively participate in shaping the future of the state, recognizing their vital roles in societal development.

He concluded his address by calling on all citizens of Plateau State, irrespective of political affiliation, to join him in a collective movement for progress, peace, and renewed hope.

The declaration marks a significant development in the political landscape of Plateau State as preparations gradually intensify ahead of the next gubernatorial election.

Tech companies are racing to build out infrastructure that can further drive the automation boom. Now, Japanese multinational SoftBank reportedly plans to create a new company designed to automate the creation of that infrastructure.

SoftBank is putting together a new business called Roze AI, the Financial Times originally reported. Roze would seek to make data center construction in the U.S. more “efficient,” the Wall Street Journal reports. It would do that by — among other things — deploying autonomous robots to help build server farms.

In an interesting twist, the conglomerate is already prepping Roze for an IPO, and some executives want it to happen by the second half of 2026, the Journal writes. The desired valuation might be $100 billion, FT reported.

TechCrunch reached out to SoftBank for more information.

Other recent ventures have also envisioned using AI and automation to make the industrial sector more efficient. For example, Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos has co-founded a startup called Project Prometheus that plans to buy firms in major industrial sectors and modernize them using AI.

SoftBank has been known to back some dark horse startups (it notably sunk hundreds of millions of dollars into Zume, an AI-driven pizza delivery startup that went belly up in 2023). The FT notes that some inside SoftBank have expressed skepticism “about the valuation and the proposed timeline for an IPO.”