- Atiku Abubakar's ADC campaign demanded a full account of the ₦10 billion Tinubu ordered released for Ebola preparedness in June 2026
- The APC responded by pointing out that 'Bola' sounds like 'Ebola' but did not explain why the emergency fund remains untouched
- ADC's Phrank Shaibu listed a series of unanswered questions about the government's response timeline after a confirmed Abuja Ebola case
Abuja, FCT - The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has demanded that President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) account for ₦10 billion announced for Ebola emergency preparedness, saying the party's response to legitimate questions was a lesson in wordplay rather than governance.
Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, signed the statement dated October 23, 2026, in which he said the APC responded to questions from Atiku Abubakar about the money trail by drawing attention to the fact that "Bola" sounds like "Ebola."
₦10 Billion and No Answers
On June 9, the Presidency announced that President Tinubu had ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion for Ebola emergency preparedness. Following a confirmed Ebola case in Abuja, the APC said the fund remains "untouched," presenting the claim as a defence. Shaibu described it as an indictment instead.
"Was the money released or was it not? If it was released, where is it held, who controls it, and why has it not been used for the preparedness President Tinubu announced?" Shaibu wrote, adding that the government should publish release documents, account records and the Task Force's expenditure reports.
Questions on the Response Timeline
Beyond the money, Shaibu raised questions about how quickly authorities acted after the confirmed case. According to the World Health Organization's account, the patient developed symptoms on October 7, sought care at a private facility on October 11, and received laboratory confirmation on October 20.
The ADC asked when Ebola was first suspected, when public health authorities were alerted, when testing was ordered, and when contact tracing began. The APC had claimed surveillance "tipped off" the government, but Shaibu said the party should name the agency that raised the alert, give the date, and explain what action followed. He said 44 identified contacts were people whose health must be protected, not material for a party press release.
Shaibu also pushed back against what he called any suggestion that a health emergency could be used to interfere with campaigning or voting, calling on the government to publish any proposed restrictions alongside their medical justification and the advice of health authorities.
"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," Shaibu wrote.
Atiku Abubakar is the presidential candidate of the ADC for the 2027 general elections, having emerged from the party's primary on May 27, 2026, and been ratified by the party's National Executive Committee on May 30, 2026.
Source: Legit.ng