By Ovie Okpare
Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has tested positive to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state government disclosed this on Monday, saying the governor had been taken into isolation in line with the regulations of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
A statement signed by the state commissioner for information, Mr John Kalu, disclosed that the governor’s sample returned positive last Thursday.
It noted that Ikpeazu had already directed his deputy, Ude Chukwu, to be acting governor pending his recovery from the virus.
Kalu stated, “Recall that on Saturday, 30th May, 2020, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu volunteered his sample for COVID-19 test and subsequently directed members of the state Executive Council and those of the inter-ministerial committee on COVID-19 to submit themselves for the same test.
“On Tuesday, 2nd June, 2020, the result of Governor Ikpeazu’s test returned negative.
“On Thursday, 4th June, 2020, the governor submitted another sample at the Nigeria Center For Disease Control 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.”
