Social Democratic Party presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has strongly warned the Federal Government against leveraging the single confirmed case of Ebola virus disease in Abuja to disrupt political activities or alter the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
Addressing senior party leaders, national executives, and supporters on Sunday night at a dinner organized in Abuja by the SDP Presidential Campaign Council, Adebayo argued that one isolated medical diagnosis does not constitute a nationwide public health epidemic.
The presidential contender’s remarks come amidst ongoing contact tracing by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, following the confirmation of an Ebola case involving a 42-year-old woman in the Federal Capital Territory and an active investigation into a suspected exposure in Rivers State. While public health protocols are currently being executed across affected jurisdictions, Adebayo maintained that Nigeria’s healthcare machinery can manage the situation without crippling democratic institutions or shutting down political engagements.
Reflecting on the country’s successful response to previous viral outbreaks, Adebayo cited Nigeria’s triumph over the virus in 2014 under former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Health Minister Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu. He insisted that transparency made containment achievable at that time, contrasting it with what he termed an opaque approach by the current administration.
”Ebola is not the biggest public health crisis we have in Nigeria,” Adebayo stated. “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.”
He further cautioned against any attempt to suspend political gatherings, rallies, or scheduled electoral timelines, asserting that doing so would penalize the populace and undermine civic participation.
”So, we cannot cancel campaigns, rallies, or shift an important election like the upcoming 2027 poll,” Adebayo added.
The SDP flagbearer reassured citizens that his party will proceed with its scheduled nationwide engagements while encouraging members to comply strictly with public health precautions and report any suspicious symptoms directly to health agencies.
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