The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has cautioned against any attempt to cancel ongoing political campaigns or shift the 2027 general elections over the Ebola outbreak.
He gave the waring at a dinner organised by the leadership of his Presidential Campaign Council on Sunday in Abuja.
According to him, a single confirmed case of Ebola was insufficient to declare an epidemic, insisting that the country could protect public health without disrupting the electoral process.
He also said that his manifesto had been translated into several Nigerian languages ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has said there was no immediate need to cancel political campaigns, conferences or other large gatherings, although the government would consider restrictions if the situation worsened.
Prof. Pate at a media briefing last Thursday in Abuja said the decision to impose any restrictions would be guided by scientific evidence and consultations with public health experts.
Prince Adebayo, however said that Nigeria had successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and that the response at the time was marked by transparency, unlike the current situation which is wrapped in secrecy.
“Ebola is not the biggest public health crisis we have in Nigeria. 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,” Adebayo said.
He said his campaign would comply with relevant health guidelines while continuing its nationwide mobilisation, urging Nigerians to observe precautionary measures and report suspected symptoms to health authorities.
He lamented that today, the country has a Minister of Health and a Surgeon General but Nigerians are not given transparent information about the nature and scope of the health emergency, fuelling fear and speculation.
He argued that government should not contemplate postponing elections because of a health scare, noting that Nigeria did not stop national life during malaria, typhoid and other endemic diseases, but should instead focus on protocols.
“Unlike all things that the APC government discusses, there is always deception. We dealt with Ebola in Nigeria before during the time of Prof. Chukwu as leader. Everybody had a transparent understanding of it. This one is shrouded in mystery,” Adebayo said.
He also said that his party was preparing to take its policy proposals to Nigerians in languages they could readily understand, urging voters to scrutinise its manifesto before the election.
He said, “The primary duty of government is security and welfare. If you have studied our manifesto, you will realised it was published in all the major languages namely English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. 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.”
The SDP presidential candidate also dismissed President Bola Tinubu’s 90-day cost of living plan as a political calendar, saying it was a wonderful coincidence that the plan was launched 90 days to the election after nearly four years in office.
He alleged that the APC government has perfected the theft of democracy through invasion of the SDP national secretariat and attempts to stop its conventions, describing it as worse than the Watergate scandal.
Adebayo charged the media to be independent, balanced and unbiased, but not neutral in the face of killings, poverty and criminalisation of the state, stressing that the SDP manifesto has been published in English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.
On his part, the Vice Presidential candidate of the SDP, Dr. Usman Bugaje, said Nigeria faces an existential threat as insecurity and poverty have eroded human life and dignity, with millions displaced and roaming streets in Sokoto, Borno, Zamfara, Benue and other states.
Bugaje noted that nearly half of Nigeria’s territory is no longer under effective federal control, with deserted highways from Biu to Damboa and Biu to Gwoza, where citizens pay taxes to bandits and seek justice in their courts.
He warned that food and health security have collapsed, as farmers need to sell three bags of maize to buy one bag of fertilizer, while over 70 percent of drugs in hospitals are imported, leaving Nigeria vulnerable to emergencies.
He also urged the media to go beyond superficial reporting and interrogate the state of the nation, adding that turn-by-turn politics has never developed any country, citing Rwanda, Singapore and South Korea as examples.
“In times of moral crisis, those who seek to be neutral, they find themselves at the hottest part of hell. There are certain moral issues that we cannot stand by,” Bugaje said.
Also speaking at the event, the SDP National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Umar Gombe, commended Prince Adebayo for presenting his policy document ahead of the formal campaign season and translating it into several Nigerian languages.
“This is the first time we have a presidential candidate present his policy document long before the campaign season begins. He is also the first candidate to present his manifesto in all Nigerian languages. This includes Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Kanuri, Fulfulde and so on.
“Therefore, we are urging Nigerians to engage, critique and make invaluable contributions. On behalf of the SDP National Executive Committee, National Working Committee, 36 State Chairmen and the FCT, we are proud to present Prince Adewole Adebayo and his running mate, Dr Usman Bugaje, as the best and credible option to the APC in the 2027 election,” Gombe said.
He said the party remains the only one among 18 that produced a comprehensive policy document on security, production and prosperity, translated into multiple Nigerian languages for citizens to interrogate and contribute.
He urged journalists to enlighten the public on the blueprint and sustain their support for the party’s rescue mission ahead of 2027.
“We are presenting to Nigeria the best credible alternative. Our manifesto is out there for Nigerians to interrogate, engage, critique and contribute towards rescuing the country,” said.
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