The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said the 2027 general election could face postponement if the Ebola outbreak spreads widely across the country.
NCDC Director-General Jide Idris gave the warning during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today. However, he stressed that there is currently no need to delay the election.
Nigeria’s 2027 general election is scheduled to begin in January, with politicians seeking various offices already starting their campaigns. The development comes as the country faces an Ebola outbreak in recent days.
Idris also insisted that the government would not use the disease for political purposes, saying public health concerns should not become a political weapon.
“We in the health sector did not use disease issues as a political weapon.
“We hope the election will not be postponed but if the thing gets wide enough that might be considered, as at now there is no need for that.
“This Ebola thing started in DRC a couple of months ago and we were tracking, they said for you to track again there is a possibility that it may get here due to our population movement, flight into this country, and ports of entry, yet it came, no government will use Ebola as a political weapon.”
