Ebola scare: APC defends N10bn emergency fund, faults Atiku’s criticism

Chinedum Ukaegbu

All Progressive Congress (APC), Presidential Campaign Council has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of politicising Nigeria’s public health concerns over the reported Ebola case, urging him and other opposition figures to exercise restraint in their public statements.

The council, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, in Abuja, criticised a statement attributed to Atiku concerning the Ebola situation and the N10 billion reportedly approved by President Bola Tinubu for the emergency response.

According to the council, linking the President’s name to Ebola in a political headline was disrespectful to the office of the President and risked turning a serious public health concern into an avenue for political ridicule.

“When disrespect becomes the staple of political statements,” the council said, arguing that the opposition should focus on supporting public health authorities rather than making what it described as politically motivated attacks on the government.

The council also faulted Atiku’s criticism of the handling of the reported Ebola case, explaining that the virus has an incubation period of between two and 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing within eight to 10 days after exposure.

It noted that an infected person generally does not transmit Ebola before developing symptoms, arguing that this could explain why an infected traveller was not detected upon arrival at the Abuja airport.

According to the statement, the Nigerian patient reported to a hospital days after the initial exposure, where several tests were conducted before the infection was confirmed.

On the controversy surrounding the N10 billion emergency fund, the council maintained that the money approved by President Tinubu in June remained untouched, adding that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other surveillance agencies had deployed other available resources to manage the situation.

The council commended the agencies for their surveillance activities at Nigeria’s entry points, describing their efforts as critical to preventing the potential spread of the virus.

It further stated that the surveillance network helped alert the government to the reported case and facilitated contact tracing involving 44 contacts of the patient.

The APC campaign council argued that the response of the relevant agencies deserved commendation, insisting that public health emergencies required cooperation among government institutions, health professionals and political stakeholders.

It also rejected an allegation attributed to Atiku that a ministerial briefing on the Ebola situation was intended to discourage attendance at campaign rallies or voting.

According to the council, the allegation was speculative and should not have been made without verifiable evidence, particularly during a politically sensitive period.

The statement added that the briefing did not raise the issue of discouraging political participation but instead appealed to Nigerians to comply with the protocols announced by the relevant authorities.

The council urged Atiku and other opposition figures to refrain from politicising public health matters, stressing that the priority should be protecting Nigerians from the potentially deadly disease.

It called on all stakeholders to communicate responsibly, avoid spreading unverified information and comply with guidance issued by health authorities to prevent the reported Ebola case from developing into a wider public health emergency.

“Nigerians deserve, first of all, protection from the deadly disease,” the statement said.