RismadarVoice Reporters
October 23, 2026
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to provide documentary evidence explaining the status of the ₦10 billion approved by President Bola Tinubu for Ebola emergency preparedness.
In a statement issued on Friday, the council’s Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, accused the ruling party of avoiding questions about the fund following the confirmation of an Ebola case in Abuja.
The controversy followed the APC Presidential Campaign Council’s declaration on Thursday that the money remained untouched, despite the Presidency’s June 9 announcement directing its immediate release.
APC spokesperson Dele Alake had maintained that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other surveillance agencies were financing their activities through existing resources.
Responding, Shaibu demanded clarification on whether the ₦10 billion had been disbursed, where it was being held and why it had reportedly not been utilised.
He urged the Presidency to publish the relevant release documents, bank records and expenditure reports of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola.
Shaibu also criticised the APC’s response to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, arguing that political exchanges could not replace accountability for public funds.
Beyond the financial controversy, the ADC spokesperson questioned the timeline of the government’s response to the confirmed infection.
Citing a timeline attributed to the World Health Organisation, he said the patient developed symptoms on October 7, sought treatment on October 11 and received laboratory confirmation on October 20.
He demanded details of when authorities first suspected Ebola, received notification, ordered testing and commenced contact tracing.
Shaibu further challenged the government to identify the surveillance agency that initially raised the alarm and explain the actions taken.
He emphasised the importance of protecting health workers and adequately monitoring the 44 people identified as contacts of the infected patient.
The ADC also urged authorities to ensure that any public health restrictions affecting political activities were supported by medical evidence rather than partisan considerations.
The APC has rejected suggestions that the Ebola response is being used for political purposes, accusing Atiku’s camp of politicising the emergency.
However, the dispute over the ₦10 billion remains unresolved publicly, with no independently verified financial documentation establishing its disbursement or expenditure status.
