The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, and the party’s national leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, have participated in a traditional boat regatta in Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State, as part of political engagements ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The cultural event, held on Friday in Dickson’s hometown in Sagbama Local Government Area, featured local boatmen and traditional warriors displaying the riverine community’s cultural heritage.
According to Politics Nigeria, Obi’s participation formed part of his ongoing consultations and mobilisation activities in Bayelsa alongside Dickson, a former governor of the state and senator representing Bayelsa West.
The outing provided an opportunity for the former Anambra State governor to interact with residents and experience the traditions of communities where waterways remain essential to transportation and daily activities.
A notable moment occurred during the boat procession when young boatmen reportedly offered Obi the last available life jacket.
Dickson was said to have insisted that Obi wear the safety equipment, referring to the expectations of Nigerians who support his political ambition.
Following the cultural display, Dickson hosted Obi and other guests at a community dinner, where he reportedly described the former Anambra governor as a “gift from heaven.”
The former Bayelsa governor also reaffirmed his support for Obi’s presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Obi subsequently visited Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, where he inaugurated the NDC secretariat.
Addressing party supporters, he called for a different approach to governance, stressing the need for leadership capable of addressing poverty, insecurity, and other socioeconomic challenges confronting Nigerians.
Obi’s 2022 Boat Visit to Anambra Flood Victims Resurfaces
Obi’s participation in the Bayelsa regatta has also drawn attention to an earlier boat journey he undertook while visiting flood victims in Anambra State in October 2022.
On October 23, 2022, Obi, then the Labour Party presidential candidate, travelled by boat through flood-affected areas of Umueri alongside the community’s president-general, Chief Johnny Chukwudi Metchie.
The visit followed devastating floods that displaced thousands of residents and damaged homes, farmlands, roads and other properties across several Nigerian states.
During the humanitarian outreach, Obi visited displaced residents taking shelter at Umueri Unity Hall and distributed food items and medicines.
He was accompanied by political associates, including Chief Tony Nwoye.
Metchie subsequently commended Obi for supporting residents affected by the disaster and called for stronger intervention by the federal government and international organisations to address recurring flooding.
The community leader also raised concerns about water releases from dams in Cameroon, which he identified as a contributing factor to flooding in parts of Nigeria.
Obi Had Suspended Campaign Activities to Support Flood Victims
Before the Umueri visit, Obi had announced a temporary suspension of his presidential campaign activities to focus on communities affected by the 2022 floods.
Speaking in Benue State on October 19, 2022, he urged other presidential candidates to prioritise humanitarian assistance over political activities.
He maintained that national welfare should take precedence over partisan differences and encouraged political leaders to visit affected communities and provide support.
The former governor’s boat journey later became a subject of political debate in April 2025 after photographs showing him travelling in a canoe circulated online.
The images were shared by presidential aide Dada Olusegun during an exchange involving Obi and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu over water transportation.
However, a fact-check published by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) on April 29, 2025, established that the photographs were taken during Obi’s October 2022 humanitarian visit to flood victims in Umueri.
The report clarified that the images were unrelated to the condition of water transportation during Obi’s tenure as Anambra State governor, which had ended eight years earlier.
The latest Bayelsa outing represents another public engagement involving Obi and riverine communities as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue.
