The African Motion Congress (AAC) presidential candidate within the 2027 basic elections, Omoyele Sowore, has expressed fear that President Bola Tinubu’s management might exploit the reported Ebola case in Nigeria to suppress voter turnout forward of the elections.
The human rights activist instructed Nigerians to stay vigilant towards any try to use the general public well being emergency to limit civil liberties or undermine democratic participation.
In a commentary issued on Wednesday titled: “The Ebola Illness: Why Nigerians Will have to No longer Panic However Will have to Ask Political Questions,” Sowore puzzled the federal government’s dealing with of the case and known as for transparency in its reaction.
He raised issues about illness surveillance, world public well being coordination and the reported appointment of Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu’s Leader of Body of workers, to chair the Presidential Process Power on Ebola Preparedness.
“Nigerians had been elevating severe issues since Nigerian government introduced {that a} girl who arrived within the nation were identified with the Ebola virus,” Sowore mentioned.
He mentioned some Nigerians had puzzled whether or not the management may exploit the placement to demobilise citizens forward of the 2027 elections.
“Those are questions Nigerians have each proper to invite. I can’t put anything else past Tinubu and his political time table,” he mentioned.
Sowore additional alleged that Tinubu may just no longer win a essentially loose and truthful election, urging Nigerians to stay alert to any try to use the general public well being emergency to intrude with the electoral procedure.
He warned that the outbreak must no longer be used to justify restrictions on basic freedoms or save you electorate from taking part in democratic actions.
The AAC candidate additionally puzzled Nigeria’s conversation with Ugandan government in regards to the commute and scientific historical past of the girl identified with Ebola.
The government showed Nigeria’s first case of Bundibugyo virus illness within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on 20 October 2026.
The Minister of Well being and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, introduced on Tuesday that laboratory checks had showed the an infection in a lady who arrived in Nigeria on a world flight from Uganda.
Well being government known 44 shut contacts of the girl and began touch tracing to decide who may had been uncovered to the virus.
The affected person were admitted to a personal health facility within the FCT, the place she won remedy for a number of days earlier than laboratory checks showed the an infection. She was once due to this fact positioned in isolation and endured to obtain hospital therapy.
The known contacts integrated healthcare employees, sufferers, caregivers and people connected to the girl’s commute, in step with knowledge launched via Nigerian well being government.
The Federal Ministry of Well being and Social Welfare mentioned it was once operating with the Nigeria Centre for Illness Keep an eye on and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Well being Services and products Secretariat and different related government to comprise the an infection and save you additional transmission.
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