The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, of politicising Nigeria’s Ebola response, insisting that approved emergency funds remain untouched.
The council’s spokesperson, Mr Dele Alake, said this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.
Alake said President Bola Tinubu approved N10 billion for the Ebola emergency in June, but relevant agencies deployed other available resources.
“On accountability, the Atiku camp should note that the N10 billion the President approved for the Ebola emergency in June remains untouched,” he said.
He said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other agencies strengthened surveillance at entry points.
According to him, the surveillance network alerted the government to the index case and facilitated contact tracing for 44 contacts.
The council commended the agencies for their contributions to monitoring the Ebola threat and supporting the public health response.
It also criticised Atiku’s reference linking President Tinubu’s name to Ebola, saying it risked turning a serious health concern into political ridicule.
“We believe linking and rhyming President Bola Tinubu’s name to Ebola only risks turning a serious health concern into a vehicle to ridicule the President,” Alake said.
The council also defended the handling of the infected Nigerian’s detection, citing the virus’s incubation period and the timing of symptoms.
“For anyone infected with the virus, the incubation period ranges from two to 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 urged opposition politicians to support health authorities rather than criticise the government’s response to the public health threat.
“A responsible opposition will applaud the Task Force for being responsive. But the Atiku camp always goes for cheap shots at the government,” he said.
The council also rejected Atiku’s allegation that a ministerial briefing was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies or voting.
Alake described the allegation as speculative, adding that the briefing instead urged Nigerians to comply with protocols announced by the task force.
He called on Atiku and his supporters to avoid politicising public health concerns, urging Nigerians to shun rumours and follow health authorities’ guidance.
“We advise Atiku Abubakar and his hirelings to avoid politicising public health issues,” he said.
The council said protecting Nigerians from the deadly disease should remain the priority. (NAN)
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