A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Peter Obafemi, has promised to open up the state’s economy through deliberate investments in tourism, technology and regional economic cooperation if elected in the June 20, 2026 poll.

Obafemi, a businessman and aviation expert, told party stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti yesterday that Ekiti had remained a dependent economy for too long, assuring that he would deploy his “experience and God-given capacity” to reverse that trend.

“Our target is to make Ekiti not only a land of honour but a land of enterprise and opportunities where ideas translate to action,” he said.

He pledged to convert the Knowledge Zone project into a functional innovation hub capable of attracting global capital, creating high-value jobs and stimulating research-based industrial growth.

Obafemi also outlined plans to position Ekiti as a major tourism destination by leveraging its landscape, culture and heritage sites to attract both local and international visitors.

Arguing that “development cannot thrive in isolation”, the aspirant said his administration would pursue regional integration with Southwest governors through the DAWN Commission and the new Southwest Development Commission to open economic corridors, expand trade, and build infrastructure.

He promised peace, unity and internal cohesion within the PDP, adding that security would be prioritised to guarantee a safe environment for residents and investors.

Obafemi appealed to party faithful to back his bid at the November 8 PDP primary, saying only a united and formidable PDP could return to power in Ekiti, as was the case in 2003 and 2014.

He restated his criticism of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, insisting Ekiti had witnessed “low performance” in the last three years, adding that residents were “due for liberation” from what he described as years of under-development.

“My motto is ‘Ekiti first’. We must rescue this state from the wilderness and put it on a path of prosperity, security and prudent management of its resources,” he said.