Ruling Party’s Campaign Spokesperson Defends ₦10 Billion Emergency Fund, Urges Opposition to Support Public Health Authorities
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of politicising Nigeria’s Ebola response, urging him and other opposition figures to exercise caution in their public statements about the health emergency.
In a press release dated October 22, 2026, and signed by Dele Alake, spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the ruling party’s campaign body criticised a statement it attributed to Atiku concerning the Ebola situation and the ₦10 billion approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the emergency response.
The council objected to the alleged use of a headline linking President Tinubu’s first name to Ebola, arguing that such wording could turn a serious public health concern into an opportunity for political ridicule.
It also disputed Atiku’s reported criticism of the handling of the emergency, particularly questions surrounding the timing of the detection of an infected Nigerian traveller from Uganda at Abuja airport.
According to the council, Ebola’s incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, with symptoms commonly appearing between eight and 10 days after exposure. It maintained that infected individuals generally do not transmit the virus before symptoms develop.
APC Defends Emergency Funding
Addressing concerns over the ₦10 billion approved for the response, the campaign council claimed that the funds approved in June remained untouched, while the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other surveillance agencies had used other available resources.
The council commended the agencies for their surveillance efforts at entry points and said the system helped alert authorities to the reported index case.
It further stated that contact-tracing efforts had identified 44 contacts associated with the patient.
The campaign council argued that the response by health authorities should attract public support rather than political criticism, stressing the importance of cooperation during a public health emergency.
Council Rejects Claim About Campaign Rallies
The APC campaign body also rejected Atiku’s reported suggestion that a ministerial briefing on the Ebola situation was intended to discourage attendance at campaign rallies or voting.
Alake described the allegation as speculative and called for verifiable evidence to support such a serious claim.
He maintained that the briefing did not address the alleged political objective but instead appealed to members of the public to comply with protocols announced by the relevant task force.
Calls for Responsible Communication
The council urged Atiku and other opposition figures to avoid turning public health concerns into political disputes.
It called on Nigerians across political divides to support health authorities, rely on responsible communication, avoid spreading unverified information and observe the preventive measures announced by the task force.
The statement concluded that protecting Nigerians from the disease should remain the immediate priority.
The claims regarding the emergency funds, surveillance efforts and the political context of the briefing were made by the APC Presidential Campaign Council in its press release.
