Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, alongside the party’s national leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has participated in a traditional boat regatta in Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State, as part of their ongoing political engagements ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The politicians joined indigenous boatmen and traditional warriors in the cultural procession, which brought together members of the riverine community and attracted attention as the NDC continues efforts to strengthen its political presence in the state.
The outing took place on Friday during Obi’s visit to Bayelsa, where he has been engaging with party stakeholders and residents alongside Dickson, a former governor of the state who currently represents Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
Their participation in the traditional event added a cultural dimension to the party’s political activities, taking its engagement beyond regular rallies and meetings to communities where waterways play a central role in transportation, livelihoods and social interactions.
Toru-Orua, situated in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, holds particular political and personal significance for Dickson, who originates from the community.
Beyond the political engagements, the visit offered Obi an opportunity to connect with local residents and gain firsthand exposure to the cultural practices and traditions of the Niger Delta.
An interesting incident reportedly occurred during the boat procession when some young participants offered Obi what was said to be the last available life jacket.
Dickson was said to have urged the former Anambra governor to put on the safety equipment, reportedly drawing attention to the enormous expectations Nigerians have placed on the presidential hopeful.
The exchange became one of the memorable moments of the cultural outing as Obi, Dickson and other participants navigated the waterways alongside members of the host community.
After the regatta, Dickson organised a dinner in honour of Obi and other invited guests. At the gathering, the former Bayelsa governor reportedly described Obi as a ‘gift from heaven’.
Dickson also reaffirmed his willingness to work towards the success of Obi’s presidential aspiration as the NDC gradually builds its political structures and prepares for the 2027 electoral contest.
As part of his activities in the state, Obi proceeded to Yenagoa, where he formally inaugurated the NDC secretariat.
Addressing party supporters and stakeholders during the engagement, the former Anambra governor advocated a departure from conventional leadership practices, arguing that Nigeria needs purposeful and accountable governance to confront widespread poverty, insecurity and other socioeconomic difficulties.
Meanwhile, Obi’s latest appearance at a boat regatta in Bayelsa is not his first public engagement involving transportation through waterways, as the former Anambra governor previously undertook a similar journey during a humanitarian visit to flood-ravaged communities in his home state.
On October 23, 2022, Obi visited residents affected by severe flooding in Umueri community, Anambra State. During the visit, he travelled by boat alongside the community’s President-General, Chief Johnny Chukwudi Metchie, to inspect areas devastated by the disaster.
His visit came amid the widespread flooding that affected several parts of Nigeria in 2022, leaving thousands of people displaced and causing extensive damage to residential buildings, roads, agricultural land and other infrastructure.
At the time, Obi was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party. He visited Umueri Unity Hall, which had been converted into a temporary shelter for residents forced out of their homes by the rising floodwaters.
The former governor was accompanied by several political associates and party leaders, among them Chief Tony Nwoye.
As part of the assessment exercise, Obi boarded a boat with Metchie to reach some of the affected locations, allowing him to witness the scale of the destruction and the challenges confronting displaced residents.
He also provided humanitarian assistance through donations of food supplies and medicines to help alleviate the difficulties experienced by the victims.
Following the visit, Metchie expressed appreciation to Obi for identifying with the affected community and extending support to residents during the difficult period.
The community leader noted that Obi’s intervention came at a time when flood victims needed both emotional reassurance and tangible assistance from political officeholders and other Nigerians willing to help.
Metchie equally appealed to the Federal Government and relevant international bodies to intensify efforts towards finding lasting solutions to the recurring flooding that has continued to devastate communities in different parts of the country.
Among the concerns he highlighted was the release of water from dams managed by authorities in Cameroon, which he identified as a contributing factor to flooding in some Nigerian communities.
His appeal followed the extensive destruction recorded during the 2022 flooding, which affected numerous communities in Anambra State and other parts of the country.
Obi’s visit to Umueri formed part of his humanitarian interventions during the disaster, following his decision to temporarily suspend campaign-related activities to identify with Nigerians displaced by the floods.
Earlier, on October 19, 2022, the Labour Party presidential candidate had appealed to his fellow presidential contenders to put their campaigns on hold and join efforts to assist Nigerians struggling with the effects of the disaster.
While speaking with journalists in Benue State, Obi explained his decision to suspend political activities, stressing the importance of prioritising the welfare of citizens during the national emergency.
He said: “Nigeria is greater than all of us and we must work hard, irrespective of our political differences, to ensure that we build a better Nigeria for our children.”
He also urged other presidential aspirants to demonstrate solidarity with affected communities instead of concentrating exclusively on their electioneering activities while thousands of Nigerians were dealing with displacement and devastating losses.
“I personally stopped and told my people ‘no more campaign’, until we are able to visit some of the sites, at least to sympathise with those who are going through problems,” he stated.
The 2022 flood assessment visit resurfaced in public discourse in April 2025 when photographs showing Obi travelling in a canoe were circulated by President Bola Tinubu’s aide, Olusegun Dada, during a social media exchange involving the former governor and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The images featured in a political argument that sought to draw comparisons between water transportation in Anambra State and Lagos State.
However, a subsequent fact-check by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), published on April 29, 2025, clarified the circumstances surrounding the photograph of Obi in a canoe.
According to the investigation, the image was captured during his October 2022 humanitarian visit to flood-affected Umueri, rather than during his tenure as governor of Anambra State, which had ended eight years earlier.
The fact-check further established that the photograph was connected to his assessment of flood damage and humanitarian intervention, not an evaluation or demonstration of the condition of water transportation under his administration.
