Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general elections, has demanded that President Bola Tinubu account for the ₦10 billion approved for Ebola preparedness. The demand follows the confirmation of Nigeria's first Ebola case in Abuja, which Atiku says has exposed serious failures in the country's health response system.
Nine-Day Delay in Confirming Abuja Ebola Case
According to a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Atiku raised specific concerns about the timeline of the confirmed case. The patient arrived in Nigeria on October 5, developed symptoms on October 7, and sought care at a private hospital on October 11. However, the government did not publicly confirm the case until October 20—nine days after the patient first sought medical attention.
During this period, 44 close contacts were left unmonitored, and private health workers who managed the case did so without adequate protective equipment, the statement said. Health Minister Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate had earlier confirmed that 44 close contacts had been identified and that tracing was already underway.
Atiku Questions Use of ₦10bn Ebola Fund
Atiku noted that Tinubu had announced the emergency funding in June but had not shown evidence that the money reached those responsible for protecting Nigerians. "Publish the amount actually disbursed, the dates of payment, every contract awarded, every recipient and every item delivered," Atiku said in the statement. "A press statement cannot replace an audit."
The former vice president also questioned the structure of the government's response, noting that Tinubu had set up a Presidential Task Force in June chaired by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. "Political titles cannot trace contacts, equip hospitals or save lives," he said. Atiku added that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), epidemiologists, and public health professionals should lead the response with full authority and resources.
Allegation of Health Emergency Being Weaponised
Beyond the preparedness failures, Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of planning to use the Ebola outbreak to suppress political activity ahead of the 2027 elections. The statement said the Minister of Health's planned press conference was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies and, ultimately, from voting. It also noted that the same ministry received only ₦35 million in disbursements under the 2025 appropriation and was not part of the Ebola prevention programme.
"The Tinubu administration must not weaponise Ebola to frighten the public, silence its opponents or suppress voter participation," Atiku said. "Any public health measure must be backed by clear medical evidence, applied equally and never used as a pretext to interfere with Nigerians' democratic rights." He closed by calling on the government to protect health workers, trace all contacts, disclose the full facts of the outbreak, and keep its hands off Nigerians' right to assemble and choose their leaders.
US Issues Ebola Alert to Americans in Nigeria
Earlier, the US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria released a statement after the Nigerian government reported the Ebola virus disease case on October 20. Nigerian health officials began contact tracing after the infected individual was confirmed to have travelled from Uganda by air. The US Embassy listed specific steps Americans in Nigeria should take, including monitoring their health for 21 days after travel to affected areas. The Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, also released a public statement after Nigeria confirmed an imported Ebola Bundibugyo case in Abuja.
