The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has cautioned the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his political associates against politicising the Ebola outbreak, urging the opposition to support public health authorities, promote responsible communication and comply with preventive protocols to avert a national epidemic.
In a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Dele Alake, in Abuja, the APC Presidential Campaign Council criticised Atiku over his recent comments on the Ebola emergency, describing his allegations concerning the N10 billion intervention fund approved by President Bola Tinubu as misleading and disrespectful to the Office of the President.
The Council maintained that the prevailing public health situation required national solidarity rather than political confrontation, emphasising that Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, must rally behind health professionals and the Presidential Task Force to contain the spread of the disease.
The APC PCC particularly advised Atiku and his supporters to refrain from rumour-mongering and making statements capable of undermining public confidence in the government’s response to the health emergency.
“We advise Atiku Abubakar and his hirelings to avoid politicising public health issues. 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,” the statement read.
The Council expressed concern over what it described as Atiku’s repeated use of derogatory language against the President, accusing the former Vice President of introducing unnecessary political hostility into a sensitive national health emergency.
According to the statement, “Atiku’s latest intervention carried a headline that linked President Tinubu’s first name to Ebola while questioning how the Presidential Task Force had expended the N10 billion approved for emergency response.”
The Council argued that associating the President’s name with the disease for political ridicule diminished the seriousness of the health challenge and demonstrated disregard for the dignity of the country’s highest political office.
It further faulted Atiku’s interpretation of the circumstances surrounding the arrival of an Ebola-infected traveller from Uganda, particularly his questions about why the infection was not detected at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Explaining the nature of the disease, the Council stated that Ebola has an incubation period ranging from two to 21 days, with symptoms typically developing between eight and 10 days after exposure.
It noted that an infected person cannot transmit the virus to others until symptoms develop, explaining that this accounted for the interval between the traveller’s arrival in Nigeria and the eventual confirmation of the infection.
The statement added that the infected Nigerian reported to a hospital several days after arrival, where medical examinations and multiple tests subsequently confirmed the Ebola infection.
On the controversy surrounding the N10 billion emergency intervention fund, the Council clarified that the allocation approved by President Tinubu in June had remained untouched, contrary to suggestions that the money had already been spent.
It explained that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other agencies involved in disease surveillance had continued to finance their operations through other available resources.
The Council commended the agencies for sustaining what it described as robust surveillance at the country’s entry points, maintaining that their efforts had strengthened Nigeria’s capacity to detect and respond to imported cases of Ebola.
It disclosed that the surveillance network alerted the Federal Government to the index case and facilitated the identification and contact tracing of 44 persons who had come into contact with the infected patient.
The Council argued that the responsiveness of the Presidential Task Force and other health agencies deserved commendation rather than politically motivated criticism, accusing Atiku’s camp of seeking political advantage from the emergency.
It also dismissed allegations made by the former vice president that a ministerial briefing on the Ebola situation was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending political campaign rallies or participating in elections.
Describing the allegation as speculative and unsupported by evidence, the Council maintained that such claims were particularly inappropriate during an electioneering period and should not be made without verifiable facts.
It clarified that the ministerial press conference did not address restrictions on campaign rallies or voting but focused on appealing to Nigerians to observe the preventive measures and health protocols announced by the Presidential Task Force.
The Council further urged political actors to exercise restraint in their public statements and avoid actions capable of creating unnecessary fear, confusion or distrust in the institutions responsible for managing the outbreak.
It emphasised that protecting the lives and well-being of Nigerians must remain the overriding national priority, insisting that the threat posed by Ebola should transcend partisan political considerations.
“Nigerians deserve, first of all, protection from the deadly disease,” the statement concluded.
