The groups urged INEC to collaborate with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant authorities to develop evidence-based protocols for managing large political gatherings ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The call was made separately by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the National Chairman of the Civil Society Budget Implementation Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (CBIAMEC), Comrade Patrick Ogheneyero Onomodeke, and the Executive Director of the Women’s Inclusion, Empowerment and Leadership Development Initiative (WIELD-Initiative), Okeke Amarachi Evangel.
They stressed that public health protection should be integrated into electoral preparations without unnecessarily restricting political participation or creating opportunities for political interference.
CISLAC Demands Transparency Over Ebola Preparedness Funds
CISLAC expressed concern over what it described as the absence of publicly communicated health safeguards for political campaigns following the reported confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Abuja on October 20, 2026.
The organisation’s Executive Director and Head of Transparency International Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said political ambitions must not take precedence over human lives.
Rafsanjani recalled that INEC introduced guidelines for conducting elections during the COVID-19 pandemic ahead of the 2020 Edo and Ondo governorship elections, arguing that the precedent demonstrated the commission’s capacity to anticipate and respond to public health risks.
He questioned why similar preventive arrangements had not been publicly communicated as political rallies and campaign activities intensified.
CISLAC also called for transparency over the N10 billion emergency intervention reportedly approved by President Bola Tinubu on June 9, 2026, for Ebola preparedness, alongside the establishment of a Presidential Task Force chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Rafsanjani urged the Presidency and the task force to disclose the status of the funds, their management, expenditure, procurement processes and measurable outcomes.
He said the public needed information on how the resources were strengthening disease surveillance, public awareness, emergency response and community protection.
“Approving billions of naira is not an achievement in itself; the real measure of success is how effectively the money protects Nigerian lives,” Rafsanjani said.
He called on the Presidential Task Force, INEC, the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health and state health authorities to establish a coordinated framework for electoral health preparedness.
According to him, the framework should support public enlightenment, evidence-based infection prevention, emergency referral systems and adequate preparedness at major political gatherings.
CISLAC also urged the National Assembly to exercise oversight over the intervention funds to ensure accountability, prevent waste and establish whether the approved resources were delivering the intended results.
CSOs Warn Against Politicising Health Measures
While calling for preventive action, Rafsanjani warned against using the Ebola outbreak to justify selective restrictions on opposition campaigns, political intimidation or the suppression of constitutional freedoms.
He maintained that any restrictions on political gatherings should be scientifically justified, proportionate, transparent and applied equally across political parties.
The CISLAC director also stressed the importance of basing public health guidelines on the actual transmission risks associated with Ebola rather than encouraging panic or imposing indiscriminate restrictions.
The organisation said public health measures should protect citizens while preserving their ability to participate in the democratic process.
CBIAMEC, WIELD-Initiative Seek Evidence-Based Guidelines
Onomodeke also urged INEC to introduce appropriate precautionary measures to protect public health while ensuring fairness in their application across political parties.
He cited the guidelines introduced during the 2020 Edo and Ondo governorship elections as a precedent for addressing health concerns during electioneering.
Onomodeke said INEC should consult health authorities and provide clear guidance on managing large political gatherings, adding that public health concerns should not be politicised ahead of the 2027 elections.
He identified public health awareness, access to hygiene facilities and safety protocols recommended by health professionals as practical measures for reducing risks at campaign events.
“As Chairman of CBIAMEC, I believe the priority should be to protect lives without undermining democratic participation,” he said.
Similarly, Evangel called on INEC to work with the NCDC and other relevant authorities to develop and communicate campaign health guidelines.
She said the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of incorporating public health safeguards into electoral planning.
According to her, the guidelines should be clear, proportionate, transparent and supported by scientific evidence, ensuring that health protection does not become a pretext for political interference.
Evangel added that public confidence in elections depended partly on electoral institutions making decisions transparently and applying rules consistently.
The civil society leaders called for stronger coordination among INEC, public health authorities and political parties as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue.
They maintained that early planning would help protect campaign participants and the wider public while safeguarding democratic freedoms.
