The governorship candidate of the African Action Congress in Delta State, Isaac Eshor, has criticised the ongoing Delta State Economic and Investment Summit, describing it as a misplaced priority amid what he called poor infrastructure and underdevelopment across the state.
Eshor said although Delta is one of Nigeria’s richest states, many communities still lack good roads and other basic infrastructure needed to attract investment and improve residents’ living conditions.
He stated this in a statement on Tuesday while reacting to the ongoing investment summit in Asaba.
According to him, Delta State received approved budgets of about ₦809.4bn in 2023, ₦725bn in 2024, ₦936bn in 2025 and ₦1.729tn in 2026, bringing the total approved budgets for the four years to more than ₦4.19tn.
He argued that the huge resources available to the state should have resulted in visible development instead of spending on what he described as expensive summits.
“Delta State is richly blessed with enormous resources and receives substantial allocations, yet many communities remain inaccessible because of poor roads and inadequate infrastructure. Instead of investing in projects that directly impact the lives of the people, the government is engaging in expensive summits and political showmanship,” Eshor said.
The AAC candidate also referred to comments by Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who recently described Delta as a wealthy neighbouring state, saying such remarks should encourage the state government to translate its wealth into meaningful development.
He questioned the value of organising an investment summit when many parts of the state still lack the basic infrastructure investors require.
“Before attracting investors, government must first create an enabling environment that supports business growth and economic activities,” he said.
Eshor also reacted to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s announcement of a $100m Viability Guarantee Fund to reduce investment risks and plans to make over 12,000 hectares of land available for agriculture.
While acknowledging that the initiatives could attract investment, he questioned why they were being introduced almost three years after the governor assumed office.
“For almost three years, Delta State has not witnessed a clear and aggressive investment-driven agenda. It is surprising that government is now presenting these initiatives as major breakthroughs. Deltans deserve a government that plans strategically, manages resources prudently and delivers sustainable economic growth,” he said.
The AAC governorship candidate further said Delta has enormous opportunities in the maritime and blue economy sectors that remain largely untapped.
He urged the government to prioritise infrastructure, economic diversification and projects that directly improve the lives of residents instead of what he described as “wasteful government jamborees.”
Eshor also called on residents to demand greater accountability from political leaders, saying his experience in the private sector would help him manage the state’s resources effectively if elected.
