APC CRITICIZES ATIKU OVER EBOLA COMMENTS, DEFENDS TINUBU

The council explained that the infected Nigerian reported to a hospital days after the initial exposure, where tests subsequently confirmed the infection.

On the N10 billion emergency allocation, the APC campaign council said the funds 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 relied on other available resources.

“On accountability, the Atiku camp should note that the N10 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,” it said.

The council also commended the agencies for their surveillance efforts at the country’s entry points, saying the measures helped alert the government to the index case and facilitated contact tracing involving 44 people who had contact with the patient.

It argued that the response of the health authorities deserved recognition rather than political criticism.

“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 council further rejected an allegation attributed to Atiku that a ministerial briefing was intended to discourage Nigerians from attending campaign rallies or voting.

It described the allegation as speculative and challenged the former vice president to provide verifiable evidence to support it.

“Vice President Atiku cannot make such a serious allegation without verifiable evidence, especially in the thick of electioneering,” the statement said.

According to the council, the briefing did not raise the issue of campaign rallies or voting but appealed to Nigerians to comply with protocols announced by the relevant task force.

The council urged Atiku and other opposition figures to avoid politicising public health concerns, stressing that cooperation among political leaders, health professionals and the public was necessary to prevent a wider outbreak.

“We advise Atiku Abubakar and his hirelings to avoid politicising public health issues,” it said.

“A time like this demands that all Nigerians, including the opposition, rally around the health authorities and professionals, communicate responsibly, avoid rumour-mongering, and follow the protocols advised by the Task Force to ensure Ebola does not become a national epidemic.”

The statement concluded that protecting Nigerians from the disease should take precedence over political disagreements.

“Nigerians deserve, first of all, protection from the deadly disease,” the council said.
The statement was issued in Abuja on October 22, 2026, and signed by Alake on behalf of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

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