A campaign appearance by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, has triggered widespread reactions after a video showed him addressing residents who were stranded on the opposite bank of a river in Ebonyi State.
Nwebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North Senatorial District and is a member of the All Progressives Congress, was seen campaigning alongside a group of supporters while residents stood across the waterway, separated from the politician by the river.
In the footage circulated on social media, the senator addressed the residents in Igbo and urged them not to listen to rival politicians. His supporters gathered around him on one side of the river, while the residents he was addressing remained on the opposite bank.
The unusual campaign scene quickly became a subject of debate online, with Nigerians questioning why residents in the area were still apparently without a bridge or other basic infrastructure that could provide safe and reliable access between the two communities.
The footage showed thick vegetation surrounding the waterway, with what appeared to be a utility pole standing close to the river. Rather than speaking to the residents from within their community, Nwebonyi and his entourage remained on one side while the voters watched from across the river.
The incident has revived broader concerns about rural infrastructure and the delivery of government projects in Ebonyi State, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of future elections.
Critics of the senator and the APC argued that the scene illustrated the disconnect that can exist between politicians and rural communities during election periods. They questioned how politicians could campaign for votes in communities where residents allegedly lack basic infrastructure such as bridges, accessible roads and reliable transportation links.
Some social media users also questioned the wider development record of the APC in Ebonyi, which has governed the state since 2015 following the defection of former Governor Dave Umahi from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC.
Supporters of the senator, however, pointed to his record of constituency interventions and his references to development projects, including roads and scholarship programmes, arguing that infrastructure development should be assessed across the senator’s wider constituency activities rather than on the basis of one viral video.
Nwebonyi has previously highlighted various interventions associated with his representation of Ebonyi North, including support for education and infrastructure. His political supporters maintain that such interventions demonstrate an effort to improve the welfare of constituents.
Nevertheless, the campaign video has shifted attention to the more fundamental question of access.
For communities separated by rivers and difficult terrain, the absence of bridges can have consequences extending far beyond political campaigning. Residents may face difficulties reaching schools, healthcare facilities, markets, workplaces and government offices. During periods of heavy rainfall, swollen rivers can further increase the risks associated with crossing waterways.
The situation has also raised questions about the priorities of political campaigns. With elections approaching, politicians across the country are expected to intensify their engagement with voters, particularly in rural communities where infrastructure deficits remain a major issue.
For many Nigerians, the significance of the Ebonyi video lies less in the political message delivered by the senator than in the image of voters and politician standing on opposite sides of a river.
The scene has become a visual representation of the gap between political promises and the everyday realities faced by some rural residents.
The controversy also highlights the importance of sustained development beyond election seasons. Critics argue that rural infrastructure should not become a campaign talking point only when politicians need votes, but should form part of long-term government planning and constituency development.
As political parties prepare for upcoming elections, the episode is likely to fuel renewed demands for elected representatives to account for the state of infrastructure in the communities they represent.
Whether the riverbank campaign was simply an unusual campaign encounter or evidence of a deeper infrastructure deficit, the viral footage has placed rural development in Ebonyi back at the centre of public conversation.
For residents watching from the opposite bank, however, the most pressing issue may be straightforward: when will they have a bridge that allows them to cross the river safely rather than watching politicians campaign from the other side?
