By : Sam Ugochukwu
The 2027 Delta State governorship race assumed a new political dimension on Tuesday as the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate, Engr. Isaac Eshor, unveiled an ambitious manifesto promising to break what he described as decades of underdevelopment, economic waste and failure to adequately harness the state’s enormous natural resources.
At the centre of Eshor’s blueprint is a bold promise to deliver 24-hour electricity across Delta State, using the state’s abundant natural gas resources to power industries, businesses and households.
Unveiling the manifesto in Asaba, the maritime expert and industrial advocate declared that Delta could no longer afford a development model in which enormous oil, gas, agricultural and maritime resources exist side by side with unemployment, poor infrastructure, unreliable electricity and struggling businesses.
Eshor argued that Delta State possesses virtually every natural advantage required to become one of Nigeria’s most prosperous economies but has suffered from what he described as poor utilisation of its resources.
He said his administration would pursue an aggressive industrialisation programme built around gas-to-power, agriculture, maritime development, manufacturing and private-sector investment.
Delta Has Gas; Why Are Our People Still in Darkness?’
Eshor’s most striking promise was his commitment to uninterrupted electricity.
He said Delta’s enormous gas reserves provide the state with a natural advantage to develop reliable electricity generation rather than allowing valuable resources to be wasted through gas flaring.
“We believe that uninterrupted power supply is achievable.
Delta State possesses enormous gas reserves that can be converted to energy rather than being wasted through gas flaring.
By utilising these resources to power turbines and generate electricity, we can provide stable power for industries, businesses and households across the state,” he said.
According to him, reliable electricity would be the foundation upon which his administration would build a new industrial economy.
He said the state would encourage local participation in the construction, operation and maintenance of power infrastructure, reducing dependence on foreign contractors and imported materials.
When there is power, industries thrive, businesses expand, jobs are created and families prosper. That is the future we seek to build for Delta State,” Eshor declared.
Eshor: $1bn Agricultural Investment Was Frustrated
The AAC candidate also opened another major political front by revealing that he had previously worked to bring a Pan-African agricultural investment scheme to Delta State, which he said had the potential to attract approximately $1 billion in agricultural investment.
According to Eshor, the proposed agricultural initiative was designed to transform large areas of the state into productive agricultural zones while creating employment opportunities for thousands of residents. He said the project had the potential to generate at least 2,000 direct and indirect jobs in each local government area, depending on the availability of suitable farmland.
But Eshor alleged that the investment initiative was frustrated by the present administration.
He disclosed that from 2023 to early 2025, he held a series of meetings with the Delta State Commissioner for Trade and Investment concerning the proposed investment, but claimed that the efforts did not receive the necessary government support.
“I brought a Pan-African agricultural scheme that would have brought an investment grant capable of attracting about one billion dollars to the state for agricultural development.
It would have brought at least 2,000 direct and indirect jobs for each local government, provided there are enough farmlands in the local government. But I was frustrated by this present administration,he alleged.
The AAC candidate, however, promised that the proposal would return to the table if he wins the 2027 governorship election.
I am going to bring back this same investment when elected because I already have the contacts and connections to actualise it, he declared.
‘₦4.199trn Federal Allocation Demands Answers’
Eshor further raised questions over the management of Delta State’s financial resources, arguing that the enormous funds accruing to the state should be reflected more visibly in the living conditions of its people.
He cited ₦4.199 trillion in federal allocations, excluding internally generated revenue and the state’s 13 per cent derivation, as an indication of the enormous financial resources available to Delta over the period under reference.
The AAC candidate argued that such resources should translate into functioning infrastructure, quality healthcare, modern schools, reliable electricity, employment opportunities and improved living conditions.
Delta cannot continue to be rich on paper while the people remain poor in reality, he said. He promised that his administration would introduce stronger mechanisms of transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
Free Education, Salary Bonuses
On education, Eshor promised to restore free education in public primary and secondary schools, saying no child should be denied quality education because of the economic circumstances of his or her parents.
He also proposed a monthly ₦100,000 bonus for government-employed teachers, doctors and nurses, while other civil servants would receive a monthly ₦50,000 bonus.
The AAC candidate said improved remuneration would help motivate public servants and retain professionals whose expertise was critical to the development of the state.
He equally promised prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensioners’ entitlements and proposed reforms to civil service housing and loan schemes.
Free Maternal Healthcare, Treatment for Elderly Deltans
In healthcare, Eshor pledged free maternal healthcare for pregnant women and free medical treatment for Deltans aged 70 years and above.
He also promised to upgrade healthcare infrastructure and improve the welfare and working conditions of medical personnel.
According to him, government must prioritise policies that protect the most vulnerable segments of society.
Eshor Targets Delta’s Maritime Wealth
Another major component of the manifesto is the proposed transformation of Delta into a leading Blue Economy hub in West Africa.
Eshor, a maritime expert, said the state’s coastline, waterways and strategic location provide enormous opportunities in shipping, vessel maintenance, marine transportation, logistics, fisheries and related industries.
He promised to establish a modern dry dock and supporting maritime infrastructure, which he said would attract investment, create jobs and position Delta as a major maritime centre.
Youth Employment and Security
Eshor also promised an aggressive youth empowerment programme, combining vocational training, entrepreneurship, industrial employment and greater youth participation in governance.
On security, he pledged to strengthen community protection mechanisms and work with relevant security agencies to create a safer environment for residents and investors. He said investors would not bring their capital to a state where businesses and communities were insecure.
This Is a Contract, Not Another Political Promise
Eshor described the manifesto as a social contract with the people of Delta State, insisting that the document represents his vision for a fundamental transformation of the state.
“This manifesto is more than a collection of promises. It is a contract with the people of Delta State, founded on integrity, driven by compassion, and guided by a clear vision of prosperity, development and shared progress,” he said.
The unveiling is expected to intensify the political contest ahead of the 2027 governorship election, particularly as issues of electricity, unemployment, agricultural investment, infrastructure, public expenditure, healthcare and economic diversification increasingly dominate political conversations across Delta State.
For Eshor and the AAC, the message is clear: Delta’s enormous natural wealth must no longer remain merely a statistic in government revenue books; it must become electricity in homes, factories in communities, jobs for young people, food on tables and measurable prosperity for ordinary Deltans.