- Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate, challenged the Tinubu administration to publish a full breakdown of the ₦10 billion announced for Ebola preparedness in June
- Atiku raised questions about a nine-day delay before the government publicly confirmed Nigeria's first Ebola case in Abuja after the patient sought care on October 11
- The statement also accused the government of planning to use the Ebola outbreak to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies ahead of the 2027 elections
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general elections, has demanded that President Bola Tinubu account for ₦10 billion approved for Ebola preparedness.
Legit.ng reports that Health Minister Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate confirmed that 44 close contacts had been identified and tracing was already underway.
Source: UGC
The former vice president said the confirmed case in Abuja has revealed a serious failure in Nigeria's health response system.
Atiku said Tinubu had announced the emergency funding in June but had not shown evidence that the money reached those responsible for protecting Nigerians.
Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, made this known in a statement issued and made available to Legit.ng on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
"Publish the amount actually disbursed, the dates of payment, every contract awarded, every recipient and every item delivered," Atiku said in the statement. "A press statement cannot replace an audit."
Questions over the confirmed Ebola case
Atiku raised specific concerns about the timeline surrounding Nigeria's first confirmed Ebola case. According to the statement, the patient arrived in Nigeria on October 5, developed symptoms on October 7, and went to a private hospital on October 11.
The government, however, did not confirm the case publicly until October 20, nine days after the patient sought care.
During that period, 44 close contacts were left unmonitored, and private health workers who managed the case did so without adequate protective equipment, the statement said.
Atiku also questioned the structure of the government's response, noting that Tinubu had set up a Presidential Task Force in June chaired by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
"Political titles cannot trace contacts, equip hospitals or save lives," he said.
The ADC chieftain added that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), epidemiologists, and public health professionals should lead the response with full authority and resources.
The Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, also released a public statement after Nigeria confirmed an imported Ebola Bundibugyo case in Abuja.
Allegation that health emergency is being weaponised
Beyond the preparedness failures, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of planning to use the Ebola outbreak to suppress political activity ahead of the 2027 elections.
The statement said the Minister of Health's planned press conference was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies and, ultimately, from voting.
It added that the same ministry received only ₦35 million in disbursements under the 2025 appropriation and was not part of the Ebola prevention programme.
"The Tinubu administration must not weaponise Ebola to frighten the public, silence its opponents or suppress voter participation," Atiku said. "Any public health measure must be backed by clear medical evidence, applied equally and never used as a pretext to interfere with Nigerians' democratic rights."
He closed by calling on the government to protect health workers, trace all contacts, disclose the full facts of the outbreak, and keep its hands off Nigerians' right to assemble and choose their leaders.
Source: Getty Images
US issues Ebola alert to Americans in Nigeria
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria released a statement after the Nigerian government reported an Ebola virus disease case on October 20.
Nigerian health officials began contact tracing after the infected individual was confirmed to have travelled from Uganda by air.
The US Embassy listed specific steps Americans in Nigeria should take, including monitoring their health for 21 days after travel to affected areas.
Source: Legit.ng