“N10bn Ebola fund remains untouched” — APC Campaign Council fires back at Atiku

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has said the N10bn approved by President Bola Tinubu in June for Nigeria’s Ebola emergency response remains untouched, accusing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of politicising the public health situation.

The council said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other agencies involved in disease surveillance had been using existing resources to monitor the situation and strengthen surveillance at the country’s entry points.

The council’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, made this known in a statement on Thursday in response to questions raised by Mr Atiku, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 election, over the utilisation of the N10bn.

Atiku demands accountability

Mr Atiku, through his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, had demanded details of how the emergency funds were being spent following Nigeria’s confirmation of an Ebola case in Abuja.

He asked the Federal Government to publish the amount disbursed, dates of payments, contracts awarded, beneficiaries and items supplied.

Mr Atiku also questioned why the government confirmed the case on 20 October, nine days after the patient reportedly sought medical care, and alleged that 44 close contacts had not been monitored during the period.

He further expressed concern over claims that a ministerial briefing on the outbreak was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending political rallies or voting.

APC: fund remains untouched

Responding, Mr Alake said the N10bn approved by Mr Tinubu had not been accessed.

“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,” he said.

The council praised the agencies for what it described as robust surveillance at Nigeria’s points of entry, saying the system helped alert authorities to the confirmed case and facilitated contact tracing involving 44 people.

It said the response demonstrated that existing surveillance structures were functioning despite the N10bn emergency allocation remaining unused.

Council faults Atiku’s Ebola claims

The APC campaign council also criticised Atiku’s comments about why the infected traveller was not detected at the Abuja airport.

Mr Alake said the criticism reflected a misunderstanding of Ebola transmission and its incubation period, which ranges from two to 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing eight to 10 days after exposure.

He explained that an infected person does not transmit Ebola before developing symptoms, arguing that this accounted for the delay between the traveller’s arrival in Nigeria and the emergence of symptoms.

‘Atiku politicising health emergency’

The campaign council accused the former vice president of turning a serious public health concern into a political attack on President Tinubu.

It particularly criticised the title of Atiku’s statement, which linked the President’s first name, Bola, with Ebola, saying the wordplay risked ridiculing the President rather than addressing the health emergency.

Mr Alake also rejected the allegation that the government’s ministerial briefing was designed to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies or voting.

He described the claim as speculative and said the briefing merely urged Nigerians to comply with health protocols announced by the Presidential Task Force on Ebola.

APC urges Opposition to cooperate

The council urged Atiku and other opposition figures to support health authorities and avoid politicising the Ebola response.

It called for responsible communication, warning against rumours and misinformation that could increase public anxiety during the outbreak.

The council maintained that containing the disease required cooperation among government agencies, health professionals, political actors and the public.

The dispute over the N10bn comes as Nigerian health authorities continue surveillance and contact tracing following confirmation of the Ebola case in Abuja. The government has identified 44 contacts linked to the patient as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.