Ebola: Sowore Says Tinubu May Exploit Outbreak To Suppress 2027 Voter Turnout

The African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, has expressed concern that President Bola Tinubu’s administration may exploit the reported Ebola case in Nigeria to suppress voter turnout ahead of the elections.

The human rights activist urged Nigerians to remain vigilant against any attempt to use the public health emergency to restrict civil liberties or undermine democratic participation.

In a statement issued on Wednesday titled: “The Ebola Disease: Why Nigerians Must Not Panic But Must Ask Political Questions,” Sowore questioned the government’s handling of the case and called for transparency in its response.

He raised concerns about disease surveillance, international public health coordination and the reported appointment of Femi Gbajabiamila, Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, to chair the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness.

“Nigerians have been raising serious concerns since Nigerian authorities announced that a woman who arrived in the country had been diagnosed with the Ebola virus,” Sowore said.

He said some Nigerians had questioned whether the administration might exploit the situation to demobilise voters ahead of the 2027 elections.

“These are questions Nigerians have every right to ask. I cannot put anything beyond Tinubu and his political agenda,” he said.

Sowore further alleged that Tinubu could not win a genuinely free and fair election, urging Nigerians to remain alert to any attempt to use the public health emergency to interfere with the electoral process.

He warned that the outbreak should not be used to justify restrictions on fundamental freedoms or prevent citizens from participating in democratic activities.

The AAC candidate also questioned Nigeria’s communication with Ugandan authorities regarding the travel and medical history of the woman diagnosed with Ebola.

The federal government confirmed Nigeria’s first case of Bundibugyo virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on 20 October 2026.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, announced on Tuesday that laboratory tests had confirmed the infection in a woman who arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.

Health authorities identified 44 close contacts of the woman and commenced contact tracing to determine who might have been exposed to the virus.

The patient had been admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before laboratory tests confirmed the infection. She was subsequently placed in isolation and continued to receive medical care.

The identified contacts included healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and individuals linked to the woman’s travel, according to information released by Nigerian health authorities.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said it was working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant authorities to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.