Social Democratic Party presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has warned against any attempt to cancel political campaigns or postpone the 2027 general election over the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria.
Adebayo said a single confirmed case of Ebola was not sufficient to declare an epidemic, arguing that Nigeria could protect public health without disrupting the country’s electoral process.
He spoke at a dinner organised by the SDP Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, where he also announced that the party’s manifesto had been translated into several Nigerian languages ahead of the election.
The presidential candidate cited Nigeria’s experience during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, saying the country successfully contained the disease at the time through what he described as a transparent response.
Adebayo therefore rejected any proposal to cancel campaign activities, rallies or shift the 2027 election because of the current Ebola situation.
He urged Nigerians to continue observing health precautions and report suspected cases to the relevant authorities, adding that his campaign would comply with health guidelines while continuing its nationwide mobilisation.
The SDP candidate also criticised what he described as a lack of transparency surrounding the current Ebola situation, contrasting it with the response to the 2014 outbreak.
He said Nigerians should not be denied the opportunity to participate in the democratic process because of the health challenge.
Adebayo further used the occasion to highlight the SDP’s manifesto, saying the document had been translated into major Nigerian languages, including English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, as well as other indigenous languages.
He said the party’s policy document focuses particularly on security and welfare, which he described as the primary responsibilities of government.
According to him, making the manifesto available in different languages would enable more Nigerians to understand the party’s proposals and question its candidates on their policies.
The SDP National Chairman, Professor Sadiq Gombe, commended Adebayo for presenting the manifesto ahead of the formal campaign season and making it available in several Nigerian languages.
