‘It’s not an epidemic’ — Adewole Adebayo warns against shifting 2027 election over Ebola
Adewole Adebayo, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has cautioned against shifting the 2027 general election over the Ebola scourge.
Adebayo spoke on Sunday at a dinner organised by the SDP presidential campaign council in Abuja, saying a single confirmed case of Ebola is insufficient to shut down the public space.
On Sunday, Jide Idris, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), said the agency was investigating a suspected case of Ebola virus disease in Rivers state, following the confirmation of an earlier case involving a 42-year-old woman in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Idris said the case in Rivers state had yet to be confirmed, adding that the centre had identified 53 primary contacts and was monitoring people who might have been exposed to the confirmed case.
Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to announce any change to the 2027 election timetable over the disease, Adebayo said Nigeria could protect public health without disrupting the electoral process.
“Ebola is not the biggest public health crisis we have in Nigeria,” he said.
“It is just that whatever the APC government discusses or presides over, there’s always deception, obfuscation, and opportunism involved.
“One single incident of Ebola is not enough to talk about an epidemic. Secondly, we have dealt with Ebola in Nigeria before during the time of Goodluck Jonathan, with Dr (Onyebuchi) Chukwu as Minister of Health.
“Everybody in Nigeria had a transparent understanding of Ebola. The person who brought it to Nigeria, Patrick Sawyer, from Liberia, the lead consultant physician who treated him then was Dr (Stella) Adadevoh. Everything about it was transparent. But this particular one is shrouded in mystery.
“So, we cannot cancel campaigns, rallies, or shift an important election like the upcoming 2027 poll. The greatest gift anyone can give to support the health of Nigerians is to go to the poll to vote and kick out the APC.”
His comments follow remarks by Muhammad Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, who said there was no immediate need to cancel political campaigns, conferences or other large gatherings following the confirmed case of Ebola disease.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja last Thursday, Pate said any decision to impose restrictions would be guided by scientific evidence and consultations with public health experts.
Adebayo urged Nigerians to observe precautionary measures and report suspected symptoms to health authorities, adding that his campaign would comply with relevant health guidelines as it continues its nationwide mobilisation.
He also said the SDP had made its policy proposals available in several Nigerian languages, urging voters to scrutinise the party’s manifesto before the election.
“The primary duty of the government is security and welfare. If you have studied our manifesto, you will realise it was published in all the major languages namely English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba,” he said.
“As we have gone beyond that to further break it down in other languages, which are now in circulation. When we campaign, we want Nigerians to ask questions and cross-examine us on the areas they are clear about in our policy document.”
