The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of politicising Nigeria’s Ebola response, urging him to avoid statements that could undermine public confidence in health authorities.
The council also defended President Bola Tinubu’s approval of N10 billion for the Ebola emergency response, saying the funds remained untouched while relevant agencies deployed other available resources to strengthen disease surveillance.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, the council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, criticised Atiku’s comments on the Ebola situation, accusing him of using the public health emergency to attack the President.
“Linking and rhyming President Bola Tinubu’s name to Ebola only risks turning a serious health concern into a vehicle to ridicule the President of the Federal Republic,” Alake said.
He accused the former vice president of demonstrating a lack of understanding of the virus, particularly the reasons an infected Nigerian traveller from Uganda was not detected upon arrival at the Abuja airport.
According to Alake, Ebola has an incubation period of between two and 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing eight to 10 days after exposure.
“An infected person cannot spread or transmit Ebola to others until they actively develop symptoms,” he said.
Alake explained that the infected Nigerian reportedly sought medical attention days after arriving, with subsequent tests confirming the infection.
On the N10 billion approved for the emergency response, the APC campaign council spokesperson said the funds, approved by Tinubu in June, had not been utilised.
“On accountability, the Atiku camp should note that the N10 billion the President approved for the Ebola emergency in June remains untouched, while the NCDC, FAAN, and other surveillance agencies have spent other available resources,” he said.
He commended the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other surveillance agencies for strengthening monitoring at entry points.
According to him, the surveillance network alerted the government to the index case and facilitated contact tracing for 44 people who had contact with the patient.
“The agencies deserve applause for mounting a robust surveillance at entry points to avert Ebola spread whenever it lands on our shores,” Alake said.
He added that the government’s response deserved support rather than criticism, accusing Atiku’s camp of resorting to what he described as “cheap shots” against the administration.
The APC campaign council also faulted Atiku’s allegation that the ministerial briefing on the outbreak was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies or voting.
Alake described the allegation as speculative, insisting that Atiku should provide verifiable evidence to support such a serious claim.
“In any way, the press conference did not raise this issue, except to appeal to the public to comply with the Task Force’s announced protocol,” he said.
The council urged Atiku and other opposition figures to refrain from politicising public health concerns, stressing the need for responsible communication as authorities work to contain the outbreak.
“A time like this demands that all Nigerians, including the opposition, rally around the health authorities and professionals, communicate responsibly, avoid rumour-mongering, and follow the protocols advised by the Task Force to ensure Ebola does not become a national epidemic,” Alake said.
He added that protecting Nigerians from the disease should remain the priority.
“Nigerians deserve, first of all, protection from the deadly disease,” he said.