The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Usiwoghene Unuafe, a Project Management professor at Arden University, Coventry, UK, has unveiled an ambitious 14-point development agenda aimed at transforming the state into what he described as Africa’s leading sub-national economy between 2027 and 2035.

Unuafe, whose campaign slogan is “For A New Delta,” said his administration would deploy the state’s oil wealth to drive investments in agriculture, industrialisation, infrastructure, digital technology, housing and human capital development rather than relying solely on federal revenue.

According to a campaign document released by the candidate, his vision is “to transform Delta State into Africa’s leading sub-national economy, a globally competitive, technology-driven, industrialised and prosperous state where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive, every community is connected, and every family enjoys security, dignity and a better quality of life.”

The campaign document, which features Unuafe alongside his running mate, Kenneth Gbandi, states that “oil money must build farms, factories, skills, roads, ports, power, housing and digital jobs,” underscoring the campaign’s emphasis on economic diversification and job creation.

Unuafe said his administration would prioritise the complete digitisation of government operations to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability. He pledged to establish a unified digital platform for revenue collection, budgeting, procurement, licensing, taxation, and land administration, while engaging digitally savvy young professionals to build and manage the systems.

On agriculture, the ADC candidate promised to reduce Delta’s dependence on oil by investing heavily in mechanised farming, agro-processing and agribusiness. He said the goal would be to improve food security, lower food prices, create rural employment and boost agricultural exports.

The health sector, according to the blueprint, would receive significant investment through the establishment of functional primary healthcare centres in every ward, the upgrade of hospitals with modern equipment, the digitisation of health records, and the recruitment of more healthcare professionals.

Unuafe also pledged major investments in infrastructure, including rural farm-to-market roads, improved urban road networks, modern traffic management systems and the development of rail networks linking the state’s three senatorial districts through partnerships with private investors.