APC Accuses Atiku of Politicising Ebola Outbreak, Defends ₦10bn Emergency Fund
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of politicising the Ebola outbreak and disrespecting the office of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The council also defended the Federal Government’s handling of the public health emergency, insisting that the ₦10 billion approved by the President for Ebola preparedness in June 2026 remained untouched.
In a press release issued on Thursday in Abuja and signed by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, the council criticised Atiku over a recent statement questioning the utilisation of the emergency fund and linking the President’s name to the Ebola outbreak.
The council described the statement as disrespectful, arguing that associating Tinubu’s name with the deadly disease risked turning a serious public health concern into an avenue for political ridicule.
It further accused the former vice president’s camp of demonstrating inadequate understanding of Ebola transmission, particularly regarding the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms.
According to the council, Ebola has an incubation period of between two and 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing eight to 10 days after exposure. It noted that infected individuals cannot transmit the virus before developing symptoms.
The APC campaign council said the interval before symptoms appeared explained why the infected Nigerian reportedly sought medical attention days after infection, following which several tests confirmed the disease.
On the controversy surrounding the ₦10 billion emergency fund, the council maintained that the money had not been spent, adding that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other surveillance agencies had utilised other available resources to strengthen disease monitoring.
It commended the agencies for their surveillance efforts at entry points, saying their activities helped alert authorities to the index case and facilitated contact tracing involving 44 contacts of the patient.
The council argued that the agencies deserved commendation for their response rather than criticism, accusing Atiku’s camp of resorting to political attacks instead of supporting public health authorities.
It also faulted Atiku’s suggestion that the government’s ministerial briefing on Ebola preparedness could be intended to discourage participation in campaign rallies or voting, describing the allegation as speculative and demanding verifiable evidence.
According to the council, the briefing did not raise any such issue but instead urged Nigerians to comply with protocols announced by the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness.
The APC campaign council urged Atiku and his supporters to refrain from politicising public health emergencies, stressing that the threat of Ebola required cooperation among the government, opposition parties, health professionals and the general public.
It called on Nigerians to communicate responsibly, avoid spreading rumours and comply with health guidelines to prevent the disease from developing into a national epidemic.
“Nigerians deserve, first of all, protection from the deadly disease,” the statement said.
