The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his comments on Nigeria’s Ebola response, accusing him of politicising a public health emergency and disrespecting President Bola Tinubu.
The council, in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, said Atiku’s remarks were inappropriate at a time when Nigerians needed accurate information and collective action to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.
The controversy followed a statement attributed to Atiku concerning the Ebola situation, which the council said linked Tinubu’s first name to the disease while questioning how the President’s administration had spent the ₦10 billion approved for the emergency.
The APC campaign council described the wordplay as an attempt to ridicule the President, arguing that it risked turning a serious public health concern into a political attack.
“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,” Alake said.
The council also faulted what it described as a lack of understanding of the virus, particularly the reasons an infected Nigerian traveller from Uganda was not detected upon arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Explaining its position, the council said Ebola’s incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing between eight and 10 days after exposure.
It added that infected persons do not transmit the virus before developing symptoms, arguing that this explained why the Nigerian traveller sought medical attention days after arriving in the country.
According to the statement, the patient was subsequently subjected to several tests, which confirmed the Ebola infection.
On the controversy surrounding the emergency fund, the APC council maintained that the ₦10 billion approved by Tinubu in June for the Ebola response remained untouched.
It said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and other surveillance agencies had instead deployed other available resources to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response.
The council praised the agencies for what it described as robust surveillance at entry points, saying their efforts helped alert authorities to the index case and initiate contact tracing for 44 people who had contact with the patient.
It argued that the response demonstrated the importance of preparedness and coordination among health and border surveillance agencies in preventing a potential outbreak from escalating into a national emergency.
“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 the ministerial briefing on the Ebola situation was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending political campaign rallies or voting.
Alake described the allegation as speculative, insisting that the former Vice-President should provide verifiable evidence before making such a serious claim, particularly during an electioneering period.
He said the briefing did not raise the issue of restricting political participation but instead appealed to Nigerians to comply with protocols announced by the Presidential Task Force.
The council urged Atiku and his supporters to refrain from politicising public health matters, stressing that the prevention of an Ebola outbreak should take precedence over partisan considerations.
It called on opposition politicians and other Nigerians to support health authorities, rely on verified information, avoid spreading rumours and comply with public health guidance.
“Nigerians deserve, first of all, protection from the deadly disease,” Alake said.
The statement was dated October 22, 2026, and issued in Abuja.