Nigeria’s Director‑General of the [Nigeria Centre for Disease Control](https://www.ncdc.gov.ng) (NCDC), Jide Idris, told Channels Television’s *Politics Today* on Monday that the Ebola outbreak will not be weaponised for political gain and that any postponement of the forthcoming election will depend entirely on the evolving health situation, not on political calculations.
**What did the NCDC chief say about politicising Ebola?**
Idris stressed that health officials would not exploit disease threats for partisan advantage. “We in the health sector will not use disease issues as a political weapon,” he declared. He added that the government had already faced budget uncertainties when the outbreak emerged, making it unlikely that Ebola would be leveraged for political ends.
**Could the election be postponed because of the outbreak?**
When asked if the virus might trigger a delay of the national election, Idris said the decision lay outside his remit. “That is not my decision; we hope not because if the thing gets wide enough… as at now there is no need for that,” he explained, indicating that a postponement would only be considered if transmission became widespread.
**How is Nigeria preparing for the outbreak?**
Idris outlined the steps taken since the virus first appeared in the [Democratic Republic of the Congo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo) a few months earlier. Nigerian authorities have been monitoring the situation, allocating funds, and readying response mechanisms for a possible imported case. The country confirmed its first case on 20 October in Abuja, identified 53 contacts for observation, and arranged medical evacuation of the patient to Switzerland.
**What preventive measures are being urged?**
The NCDC chief appealed to citizens to practise regular handwashing, noting its impact on infection control. “Most of these infections, handwashing alone can reduce the incidence by almost 40 %,” he said. The statement aligns with findings from the United States [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://www.cdc.gov), which report that hand‑washing education can cut diarrhoeal illnesses by 23‑40 % and respiratory illnesses by 16‑21 %.
Overall, Idris conveyed confidence in Nigeria’s readiness while warning that any political maneuvering involving the disease would be inappropriate and that election timing would remain a health‑driven decision.