By Abiola Olawale
A recent campaign outing by Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, the lawmaker representing the Ebonyi North Senatorial District of Ebonyi State in the Nigerian National Assembly, has drawn sharp criticism and sparked intense debate across social media.
This comes after footage emerged showing the lawmaker addressing constituents from the opposite bank of a river in the Izzi community in Ebonyi State.
In the video made available to The New Diplomat, Nwebonyi and his entourage are seen standing on one side of a deep, fast-flowing waterway, while a large gathering of residents stands stranded on the other side.
With no bridge or safe pathway to physically cross and interact with the community, the campaign event was effectively conducted across a physical divide—a powerful visual metaphor for the disconnect between the electorate and political officeholders.
Residents and community observers have expressed deep frustration over the incident, noting that the lack of a bridge is symptomatic of broader infrastructural neglect in Izzi.
Critics are raising hard questions about the tangible value and developmental dividends delivered to rural communities.
A community stakeholder who spoke with The New Diplomat on the condition of anonymity said: “Standing across a river to ask for votes when our people cannot even cross safely to go about their daily lives is the height of insensitivity.”
The New Diplomat reports that as political campaigns continue to ramp up, the incident in Izzi has transformed into a rallying point for citizens demanding accountability, immediate infrastructural intervention, and basic amenities rather than distant political rhetoric.
