The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has challenged the All Progressives Congress, APC, to explain the whereabouts of the N10 billion President Bola Tinubu reportedly ordered released for Ebola preparedness in June.
The ADC also demanded the publication of financial records and expenditure reports relating to the emergency fund, following the APC’s claim that the money remained untouched.
The party’s Director of Strategic Communication, ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, made the demands in a statement issued on Friday, October 23.
The statement followed the APC’s response to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s questions about the whereabouts of the fund and the government’s preparedness for the Ebola outbreak.
Shaibu accused the ruling party of diverting attention from questions about the emergency fund by focusing on the similarity between the names Bola and Ebola.
“The APC only found a rhyme. Tell us why Bola’s N10 billion Ebola fund is still untouched,” he said.
He argued that the government’s handling of the controversy raised questions about its preparedness for a public health emergency, particularly following the reported confirmation of an Ebola case in Abuja.
“On 9 June, the Presidency announced that President Tinubu had ordered the immediate release of N10 billion for Ebola emergency preparedness. Now, with a case confirmed in Abuja, the APC says the money remains ‘untouched’. It presents that claim as a defence. It is an indictment of the Bola administration,” Shaibu said.
He asked the government to clarify whether the money had been released and, if so, identify the account in which it was held, the officials responsible for managing it and the reasons it had not been spent.
“If it was never released, why was an order for its immediate release announced in June? Publish the release documents, the account records and the Task Force’s expenditure reports. Insulting Atiku Abubakar will not account for one naira,” he added.
Shaibu also criticised the APC for focusing on the similarity between Tinubu’s first name and Ebola, arguing that the response failed to address the substantive questions raised by the opposition.
“These aren’t just rhyming words; the effect of Bola’s policies is as deadly as the dreaded Ebola,” he said.
He alleged that the administration’s policies had worsened the hardship faced by Nigerians by making food and medical care unaffordable and undermining businesses.
According to him, the government should prioritise accountability and public health preparedness rather than engaging in exchanges with opposition figures.
“The APC wants a debate about how two words sound. Atiku Abubakar asked for the money trail and an account of the emergency response. The party in power came back with a pronunciation lesson,” he said.
The ADC spokesperson also questioned the timeline of the response to the reported Ebola case, citing the World Health Organisation’s account that the patient developed symptoms on October 7, sought treatment at a private health facility on October 11 and received laboratory confirmation on October 20.
He asked the government to explain when Ebola was first suspected, when public health authorities were alerted, when testing was ordered and when contact tracing began.
“The APC claims surveillance ‘tipped off’ the government. Then publish the timeline. Name the agency that raised the alert, give the date and explain the action taken,” Shaibu said.
He noted that 44 identified contacts required appropriate monitoring and protection, urging the authorities to ensure that the response was supported with adequate resources.
“Health workers treating the patient and tracing contacts deserve protection, equipment and every resource needed to act quickly. Questioning the government’s preparedness is no insult to them,” he said.
Shaibu further called on the Tinubu administration to publish any proposed restrictions on political campaigning or voting linked to the health emergency, alongside the medical justification and advice from relevant health authorities.
He said public health measures should be guided by medical evidence and should not be used as political tools.
“Public health guidance must protect people. It must never become a political tool,” he said.
The ADC spokesperson maintained that the Presidency and the APC owed Nigerians an explanation for the apparent contradiction between the June announcement of the fund’s immediate release and the ruling party’s subsequent claim that the money remained untouched.
“Show Nigerians where the money is. Explain the response timeline. Protect health workers. Trace every contact. President Tinubu and the APC owe the country answers, not ‘Bola-Ebola’ tales,” he said.
The statement was signed by Shaibu as Director of Strategic Communication, ADC Presidential Campaign Council, and dated October 23, 2026.