The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has said that the ₦10 billion President Bola Tinubu approved in June for Ebola emergency preparedness has not been spent. They dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s questions about the money.
The council made this claim in a statement on Thursday, 22 October. The statement was signed by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, and shared on X by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
"On accountability, the Atiku camp should note that the ₦10 billion the President approved for the Ebola emergency in June remains untouched, while the NCDC, FAAN, and other surveillance agencies have spent other available resources," the statement said.
The council did not provide any proof that the money is still unspent. They also did not explain why the funds have not been used four months after the president ordered their release.
On 9 June, Mr Tinubu approved the formation of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola. He also ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion to boost Nigeria’s readiness against the disease and other health threats.
The task force, led by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, was set up following Ebola outbreaks in other African countries. The campaign council’s statement came after Mr Atiku demanded an account of the funds when health officials confirmed an Ebola case in Abuja.
In a statement on Wednesday from his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate urged the government to publish the amounts spent, payment dates, contracts awarded, beneficiaries, and items delivered.
Mr Atiku also raised concerns about how the confirmed case was managed. He claimed there were flaws in surveillance, contact tracing, and protection for health workers. He pointed out that the patient arrived in Nigeria on 5 October, showed symptoms two days later, and the infection was confirmed on 20 October.
APC Response to Allegations
In response, the APC campaign council accused Mr Atiku of using the Ebola emergency for political gain. They rejected his claim that the government’s response could interfere with political activities.
"In this vein, we consider his allegation that a ministerial briefing is intended to discourage attendance at campaign rallies or voting speculative," Mr Alake said.
He added that the ministerial briefing aimed to encourage people to follow health guidelines, not to limit political activities. The council also criticized Mr Atiku for making a disrespectful comment linking the President’s first name to Ebola.
They explained that the virus’s incubation period might be why an infected traveler is not immediately identified at screening when arriving in Nigeria. According to the statement, the incubation period for Ebola is between two and 21 days, and people do not spread the disease before showing symptoms.
The council defended the actions of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and other agencies. They said the surveillance system helped notify the authorities about the confirmed case and supported contact tracing for 44 people.
However, the statement did not say when the patient was first suspected of having Ebola or when monitoring of the contacts started. These issues were part of Mr Atiku’s criticism. The council urged political players to support health workers and stop spreading unverified information about the outbreak.
"A time like this demands that all Nigerians, including the opposition, rally around the health authorities and professionals. We should communicate responsibly, avoid rumour-mongering, and follow the protocols advised by the Task Force to ensure Ebola does not turn into a national epidemic," it said.
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