2027 Elections: Political Parties Insist Campaigns Must Continue Despite Ebola Concerns

Several political parties have rejected calls to suspend campaign activities ahead of the 2027 general elections following the reported case of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria.

The parties argued that political activities could continue if organisers adopted appropriate public health measures to reduce the risk of transmission during rallies and other large gatherings.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, had earlier stated that there was no immediate need to cancel political campaigns, conferences or other major public events following the reported case.

Similarly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) urged Nigerians to remain calm, saying the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies had issued guidelines on the situation.

The party’s National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, warned against turning the health concern into a political controversy, arguing that such an approach could trigger unnecessary fear and confusion.

“Contagious disease or infectious diseases that require quarantine and proper investigation is not something that you subject to political discussion. This is a very technical issue and a sensitive one for that matter,” Ibrahim said.

He added that the matter should be handled by health professionals rather than being dragged into political debates that could cause panic.

However, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) expressed concern that the Federal Government might use the Ebola situation as a reason to limit opposition parties’ campaign activities ahead of the 2027 elections.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, told Sunday PUNCH that although protecting public health was essential, any restrictions on political activities should be based on clear and transparent health assessments.

Abdullahi also referred to President Bola Tinubu’s reported statement that he might be unable to participate in campaign activities, warning that other political parties should not be prevented from reaching voters under the guise of managing the outbreak.

“The health of Nigerians should be the priority for everyone, but we also have to be very careful that we don’t create a situation for political opportunism,” he said.

He added that political parties would need a clear explanation if authorities recommended restrictions on campaigning.

“If they want to advise us not to campaign, they have to tell us why and then we will also raise other questions at the appropriate time,” Abdullahi stated.

SDP, NDC Advocate Preventive Measures

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) also opposed a blanket suspension of political campaigns, calling instead for stronger disease surveillance and preventive measures.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Araba, said the reported case did not, in itself, justify stopping all campaign activities as political parties prepared for the 2027 elections.

According to him, candidates need opportunities to engage voters and explain their policy proposals, adding that such interactions could continue alongside measures designed to protect public health.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) similarly called on political parties to adopt safer campaign methods, including steps to limit physical contact at gatherings, rather than suspend activities entirely.

The party’s Lagos State Publicity Secretary, Olushile Akinyemi, told The PUNCH that halting political activities without a clear and transparent justification could increase public suspicion, particularly given existing concerns about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the electoral process.

Akinyemi maintained that parties could modify their campaign strategies to minimise infection risks while ensuring that candidates remained accessible to voters.

“Campaigns should continue under strict safety protocols, and not be halted abruptly,” he said.

Ebola Case Raises Public Health Concerns

The disagreement among political parties comes amid increased attention to Nigeria’s reported case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease.

The infected woman has been identified as a Swiss national and the wife of a staff member at the Swiss Embassy in Abuja.

Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry disclosed on Friday, October 23, that the woman and her husband had travelled to Uganda approximately two weeks before the announcement. According to the ministry, she was believed to have contracted the virus during the trip, although the exact place of exposure had not been established.

The Swiss authorities said neither the woman nor her husband had visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been at the centre of the ongoing Bundibugyo strain outbreak.

“The Swiss woman, who is symptomatic, has been hospitalised for about a week at a private clinic in Abuja,” the ministry stated.

The authorities added that the woman’s husband had been placed in isolation as a precaution, although he had not developed symptoms. Other embassy staff members were also reported to be in good health.

Nigerian health authorities had earlier confirmed that the woman tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain after arriving in Abuja from Uganda on October 3 aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET333.

Olajumoke Babatunde, Director of Public Health Laboratory Services at the NCDC, disclosed the laboratory findings during an emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, October 21.

“We did three levels of tests, but all molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo,” Babatunde said.

Following the confirmation, the Federal Government intensified measures to prevent further transmission, with health officials identifying 44 contacts associated with the patient.

Those identified reportedly include healthcare workers, fellow patients, caregivers and individuals linked to the woman’s travel history.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are coordinating the response. Health facilities and port health surveillance units across the country have also been placed on high alert.

What to Know About the Bundibugyo Ebola Strain

The Bundibugyo strain is a type of Ebola virus first identified during an outbreak in Uganda in 2007.

Ebola virus disease can cause severe illness and death. Transmission occurs primarily through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, as well as contact with contaminated materials.

Common symptoms include fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain and sore throat. Some patients may subsequently develop vomiting, diarrhoea and other serious complications.

The incubation period generally ranges from two to 21 days.

Nigeria previously recorded an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller arrived in Lagos from Liberia. Health authorities successfully contained the outbreak.

As political parties continue preparations for the 2027 elections, the debate over campaign activities highlights the challenge of balancing political participation with measures aimed at protecting public health.