Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state has tested positive for COVID-19, the state government said in a statement on Monday.
John Okiyi Kalu, Abia commissioner of information, announced that the governor had gone into isolation before his test result returned positive.
He said the governor has directed the deputy governor, Ude Oko Chukwu, to act on his behalf pending the time he resumes duty.
Kalu said it would be recalled that on Saturday, 30th May, 2020, Ikpeazu volunteered his sample for COVID-19 test and subsequently directed members of the state Executive Council (EXCO) and those of the inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19 to submit themselves for tests but on Tuesday, 2nd June, 2020 the result of Governor Ikpeazu’s test returned negative,” he said.
”On Thursday, 4th June, 2020, the Governor submitted another sample at NCDC laboratory for confirmation and the result returned positive.
”As a result, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has gone into isolation, as required by relevant NCDC protocols, and he is being managed by a competent team of medical practitioners with a view to nursing him back to good health.
”Consequent on the above, the Governor has directed his Deputy, Rt Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, to act on his behalf pending his full resumption of duties.
”We wish to urge all Abians to take the fight against COVID-19 serious as the disease is real but not a death sentence. Our state has the resources to manage patients back to good health.”
Ikpeazu is the fourth governor to contract the virus following Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi.
Abia state has so far reported 83 coronavirus cases with a staggering 63 new cases reported on Sunday, 7 June 2020 alone.
