Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress Omoyele Sowore has questioned the Federal Government’s handling of Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola case, alleging that the outbreak could be exploited to restrict democratic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sowore, in a statement on Wednesday, also questioned the appointment of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to chair the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness, arguing that public health responses should be guided by medical and scientific expertise.
He urged Nigerians to remain calm while demanding transparency from the government over the infection, contact tracing and coordination with other countries.
“Public health emergencies must never become excuses for suppressing democratic participation or restricting fundamental freedoms,” Sowore said.
He alleged that the Tinubu administration could exploit the health emergency for political purposes, although he did not provide evidence that the government had taken steps to restrict voting or election-related activities because of the outbreak.
The activist’s comments followed the Federal Government’s confirmation on Tuesday that a woman in the Federal Capital Territory had tested positive for Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the patient was in isolation and receiving medical care, while 44 contacts had been identified for monitoring. Health authorities are also working to establish the woman’s travel and exposure history.
Sowore also raised concerns about reports that the patient had travelled through Uganda after visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo, questioning the exchange of information between Nigerian and Ugandan authorities.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health has clarified that the woman transited through the country without symptoms and developed them after arriving in Nigeria. It said her passage through Uganda did not establish where she contracted the virus and that the location of exposure remained under investigation. Uganda also said it was awaiting further information from Nigeria to support its investigations.
“If these accounts are accurate, why has Nigeria not promptly provided the necessary information? What has happened to our disease surveillance systems, emergency preparedness, and international public health coordination mechanisms?” Sowore asked.
He also criticised Gbajabiamila’s appointment to lead the presidential task force, arguing that epidemiologists, infectious disease specialists and other public health professionals should play a central role in managing the response.
“Why should the political leadership of such a critical public health response take precedence over the expertise of qualified epidemiologists, infectious disease specialists, and public health professionals?” he said.
However, the Federal Government established the task force in June as part of its preparedness measures, naming Gbajabiamila as chairman and assigning it responsibility for coordinating efforts against Ebola and other emerging public health threats. The appointment does not, by itself, establish that medical experts have been excluded from the response.
Sowore maintained that Nigerians should demand full disclosure of relevant information, effective contact tracing, adequate medical care and protection for frontline health workers.
“Nigerians must not panic, but neither should they surrender their right to question those in power,” he said, insisting that the response must be transparent and guided by science.
He warned against politicising the outbreak or using it to justify restrictions on civil liberties, while calling for independent scientific oversight and accountability.
“Public health must protect lives, not become an instrument of political control,” Sowore said.
