Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Tinubu administration’s failure to account for the ₦10 billion authorized for Ebola preparedness, saying the confirmed case in Abuja has uncovered a harmful breakdown within the authorities’s response.
He additionally warned towards utilizing the outbreak to suppress political exercise and discourage Nigerians from voting.
In an announcement by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku stated Ebola is a grave public well being risk and that Nigerians deserve pressing motion, competent management and the reality.
He nonetheless stated the primary confirmed case in Abuja has uncovered unanswered questions on preparedness, surveillance and the safety of well being staff.
“Tinubu should account for the ₦10 billion he stated could be launched instantly in June.
“Where is the cash? Publish the quantity really disbursed, the dates of cost, each contract awarded, each recipient and each merchandise delivered. If the cash was not launched, Tinubu should clarify why he introduced emergency funding that by no means reached the folks chargeable for defending Nigerians. A press assertion can not change an audit.
“The timeline is damning. The patient arrived in Nigeria on October 5, developed symptoms on October 7 and sought care at a private hospital on October 11. The government did not confirm the case publicly until October 20, nine days after she sought care. During that critical period, 44 close contacts were left unmonitored, while private health workers faced the case without adequate protective equipment. This is a failure of preparedness with potentially grave consequences.”
He added that the federal government should disclose what occurred at each stage, together with the journey historical past and publicity screening and the place it was carried out; what follow-up started when the affected person developed signs; and who the 44 contacts first reached and monitored have been.
Other questions raised by Atiku are why have been frontline employees left with out the safety they wanted? Nigerians deserve solutions, and people chargeable for these failures should be held accountable.
“In June, Tinubu introduced a Presidential Task Force chaired by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. Today, Nigerians should ask whether or not political appointees have been allowed to overshadow the medical consultants who ought to lead this response. The NCDC, epidemiologists, medical doctors and public well being professionals should be in cost, with the authority and assets to behave. Political titles can not hint contacts, equip hospitals or save lives.
“Nigerians are already battling the financial hardship created by Tinubu’s insurance policies. Now the federal government’s failure to arrange and reply threatens to deepen public nervousness and disrupt motion, livelihoods and financial exercise. The folks should not pay twice for a similar failure: first by means of hardship, then by means of a bungled emergency response. Both brought on by Bola.
“I’m additionally alarmed by confirmed data that the Minister of Health’s press convention tomorrow is meant to discourage Nigerians from attending marketing campaign rallies and, in the end, from voting. It is ridiculous that the identical Minister of Health, whose whole ministry was funded with N35 million disbursement in 2025 appropriation and was not concerned within the Ebola prevention programme is now being promoted to make well being emergency bulletins.
The Tinubu administration should not weaponise Ebola to frighten the general public, silence its opponents or suppress voter participation. Any public well being measure should be backed by clear medical proof, utilized equally and by no means used as a pretext to intrude with Nigerians’ democratic rights.
“The ‘Bola-Ebola’ strategy will not fool Nigerians. You cannot fail to protect the people, conceal what happened to emergency funds, then use the crisis to restrict their freedom. Account for the ₦10 billion. Protect every health worker. Trace every contact. Tell Nigerians the truth. Fight Ebola, and keep your hands off their right to assemble and choose their leaders.”
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