Ebola Fund Scandal: Atiku Demands Answers on 'Untouched' ₦10bn, APC Retaliates

The political landscape in Nigeria has been stirred by a heated debate surrounding the government's response to an Ebola emergency and the allocation of N10 billion in emergency funds. The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has vehemently accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of politicizing a serious public health concern, particularly by linking President Bola Tinubu's name to the Ebola outbreak.

According to Mr. Dele Alake, spokesperson for the APC council, the N10 billion approved by President Bola Tinubu in June for the Ebola emergency remains untouched. He clarified that relevant agencies, including the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), have instead deployed other available resources and strengthened surveillance at entry points. This robust surveillance network, Alake noted, was instrumental in alerting the government to the index case and facilitating the tracing of 44 contacts, a contribution for which the council commended these agencies. The APC also defended the timeline of detecting the infected Nigerian, explaining that the virus's incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, with symptoms typically appearing eight to 10 days after exposure, and transmission only occurring once symptoms actively develop. The council urged opposition politicians to support health authorities rather than criticize the government’s response and rejected Atiku’s speculative allegation that a ministerial briefing was meant to discourage rally attendance, stating it simply urged compliance with health protocols.

However, Atiku Abubakar, through his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, challenged the Tinubu administration to provide a full account of the N10 billion. Atiku's camp criticized the APC's claim that the funds remained untouched, especially given the confirmed Ebola case in Abuja, and demanded documentary evidence of the fund's release and expenditure. The statement questioned the apparent contradiction: if President Tinubu ordered the immediate release of N10 billion for Ebola preparedness on June 9, why would the APC later state that the money remains untouched? Atiku's team sought clarity on where the money is held, who controls it, and why it has not been utilized for the announced preparedness. They called for the government to publish release documents, account records, and expenditure reports of the Ebola Task Force.

Furthermore, Atiku’s campaign council scrutinized the government’s response timeline. Citing the World Health Organization’s account, they noted that the patient developed symptoms on October 7, sought care on October 11, and received laboratory confirmation on October 20. This prompted questions about when Ebola was first suspected, when public health authorities were alerted, when testing was ordered, and when contact tracing truly began. They also dismissed the mention of 44 identified contacts as a "trophy," emphasizing that these individuals require protection. The council stressed the critical need to protect health workers treating the patient and tracing contacts, asserting that questioning the government's preparedness is not an insult to these frontline workers.

Atiku's camp also raised concerns about the potential political misuse of public health restrictions, urging the government to provide transparent explanations and medical justifications for any proposed measures, ensuring that public health guidance remains a protective tool and not a political one. Both sides of the political divide urged Nigerians to shun rumors and follow health authorities’ guidance, though their interpretations of the government's actions diverge sharply. The central demand from Atiku's camp remains a clear resolution to the N10 billion contradiction, a detailed response timeline, and robust protection for health workers, asserting that the country is owed answers, not mere "Bola-Ebola" tales.