Deacon Chris Iyovwaye the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Delta State for the 2027 election said he seeks to become governor to bridge the gap between the state’s vast natural resources and the living conditions of its residents.
Iyovwaye said Delta State despite its oil and gas wealth fertile agricultural land and industrious population still faces challenges in infrastructure employment healthcare education and access to basic amenities.
In a statement outlining his reasons for entering the governorship race he said the state could become an economic powerhouse in West Africa but had yet to translate its resource wealth into widespread prosperity for its people.
He cited challenges facing residents in urban centres such as Warri Effurun Asaba Sapele and Agbor as well as riverine communities in Burutu Bomadi Escravos and Patani.
According to him many communities still struggle with unreliable electricity inadequate potable water poor roads and limited access to quality healthcare and education.
‘We inherited a wealthy state but our people were handed the burden of hardship’ he said.
The NDC candidate argued that the central issue was not the amount of revenue accruing to the state but how effectively public funds were managed and converted into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives.
He referenced the National Bureau of Statistics’ 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index which put the proportion of Delta residents living in multidimensional poverty at 47.6 per cent representing about 2.73 million people.
Iyovwaye further cited the BudgIT report’s estimate that approximately ?190.2 billion representing 26.4 per cent of the state’s reported total expenditure in 2024 went into capital expenditure.
He said the figures raised questions about the effectiveness of public investments development priorities and accountability mechanisms.
‘The question is no longer how much money Delta State receives but how effectively it manages these resources and translates them into improvements in people’s lives’ he said.
Iyovwaye said his private-sector experience influenced his decision to contest the governorship election describing himself as an entrepreneur rather than a career politician.
As chairman of the Wellmann Group which he described as a leading player in Africa’s oil and gas value chain he said he had gained experience in enterprise development industrial operations and project execution.
He argued that the discipline required to run a successful business could help improve public administration in Delta State if applied alongside transparency justice and accountability.
‘In the world of enterprise-especially in our energy and maritime services sector-you learn a fundamental truth: resources are useless without the discipline vision and execution to deploy them efficiently’ he said.
He added that the state needed a stronger link between the wealth generated by its natural resources and its citizens’ quality of life.
The governorship candidate identified youth unemployment inadequate agricultural infrastructure and poor services in coastal communities as key challenges that require urgent attention.
He said young people in Warri Asaba Effurun and Ughelli needed more opportunities to secure meaningful employment within the state rather than leave in search of better prospects.
He also called for improved storage and processing facilities as well as better farm-to-market roads to support farmers in Aniocha Oshimili Ndokwa and Isoko.
For coastal and riverine communities he said the government should prioritise access to healthcare clean drinking water and environmental and shore-protection infrastructure particularly given their contribution to the state’s oil and gas production.
Iyovwaye maintained that the government should be judged by measurable improvements in people’s lives rather than the number of contracts awarded or budgets announced.
He said residents should experience the impact of government policies in their businesses markets and access to jobs and public services.
Outlining his proposed development approach Iyovwaye described ‘Reset Delta’ as a plan to change how the state manages its resources and directs public spending.
He said the initiative would prioritise citizens’ welfare in government budgets and policies protect public funds through accountability and create a business-friendly environment that attracts private investment.
He also called for conditions that would encourage oil and gas servicing companies to return to Warri strengthen agribusiness expand trade along the state’s waterways and attract investment into technology and the creative industries.
He said improved security for lives and property would be essential to achieving the proposed economic transformation.
Iyovwaye said he decided to contest because he believes Delta’s natural resources and human capital should translate into better living conditions for its residents.
‘I am not running because Delta is poor; I am running because a state so rich in oil gas fertile land and human talent has no business letting its citizens suffer’ he said.
He added that his ambition was not merely to occupy the office of governor but to apply his experience to public service and ensure that the state’s wealth delivered greater prosperity security and dignity.
The NDC candidate urged residents to support his proposed agenda ahead of the 2027 governorship election saying the state needed a new approach to economic development and public accountability.