The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of politicising Nigeria’s Ebola response, faulting his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the public health situation and the ₦10 billion approved for the emergency. In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, October 22,…...
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of politicising Nigeria’s Ebola response, faulting his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the public health situation and the ₦10 billion approved for the emergency.
In a statement in Abuja on Thursday, October 22, the council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, said Atiku’s comments were disrespectful to the office of the President and risked turning a serious public health concern into a political controversy.
The statement, titled “N10 Billion Ebola Fund: When Disrespect Becomes the Staple of Political Statements,” criticised a statement attributed to Atiku that linked Tinubu’s name to Ebola and questioned how the emergency funds had been spent.
“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 of the Federal Republic,” the council said.
It also accused the former vice president’s camp of displaying ignorance about the virus, particularly the reasons the infected Nigerian traveller from Uganda was not detected at the Abuja airport upon arrival.
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The council explained that Ebola has an incubation period of between two and 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,” the statement said.
According to the council, the infected Nigerian sought medical attention days after arriving in the country, when tests confirmed the infection.
On the ₦10 billion approved by Tinubu for the Ebola emergency in June, the APC campaign council said the funds remained untouched, arguing that relevant agencies had been using other available resources to respond to the situation.
“On accountability, the Atiku camp should note that the N10 billion the President approved for the Ebola emergency in June remains untouched, as the NCDC, FAAN, and other agencies involved in surveillance have been spending other available resources,” the statement read.
The council commended the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other agencies for their surveillance efforts at the country’s points of entry.
It said the surveillance network alerted the government to the index case and facilitated contact tracing for 44 people who had contact with the patient.
“A responsible opposition will applaud the Task Force for being responsive. But the Atiku camp always goes for cheap shots at the government,” the statement added.
The APC campaign council also rejected an allegation attributed to Atiku that a ministerial briefing on the Ebola situation was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies or voting.
It described the allegation as speculative and challenged the former vice president to provide verifiable evidence.
“Vice President Atiku cannot make such a serious allegation without verifiable evidence, especially in the thick of electioneering,” the statement said.
The council further maintained that the press conference on the Ebola situation had not raised the issue of campaign attendance or voting, but had appealed to Nigerians to comply with the protocols announced by the task force.
It urged Atiku and other opposition figures to refrain from politicising public health concerns, calling on Nigerians to support health authorities, avoid spreading rumours and comply with the recommended safety measures.
“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 said.
“Nigerians deserve, first of all, protection from the deadly disease,” it added.