ADC to Tinubu: Explain why ₦10bn Ebola emergency fund remains untouched

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to explain the whereabouts of the ₦10 billion the Presidency announced for Ebola preparedness in June, following reports that the ruling party claimed the fund remains untouched despite a confirmed case in Abuja.

Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, stated that the claim raises serious questions about the administration’s preparedness, accusing the APC of trading political insults instead of providing accountability for the emergency fund.

Was the money released or was it not? If it was released, where is it held, who controls it, and why has it not been used for the preparedness President Tinubu announced in June?

In a statement, Shaibu noted that the APC’s response to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s demand for transparency focused on the similarity between Tinubu’s name and Ebola rather than addressing the financial status of the allocation. The statement recalled that the Presidency announced on June 9 that President Tinubu had ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion for Ebola emergency preparedness, questioning why the APC would now describe the money as untouched.

Shaibu demanded the publication of release documents, account records, and expenditure reports from the Presidential Task Force on Ebola, insisting that the controversy cannot be settled through personal attacks. He further questioned the government’s response timeline and emphasized that scrutiny of the government’s preparedness should not be confused with an attack on health workers.

Public health guidance must protect people. It must never become a political tool.