Governor Seyi Makinde tests positive for coronavirus

Seyi Makinde, Oyo State Governor has confirmed testing positive for coronavirus via his Twitter handle on Monday.

“I just received my COVID-19 confirmation test result. It is positive. I am asymptomatic and will continue to self-isolate,” he said.

The governor, who urged residents to comply with directives aimed at curbing coronavirus in the state, said his deputy, Prof Temitope Alonge, would take over as the head of Oyo COVID-19 Task Force.

“I have designated Prof. Temitope Alonge, former Chief Medical Director of the University College, Ibadan, as the Head of COVID-19 Task Force while I recover fully.

“Please, continue to comply with all the directives from the COVID-19 Task Force. Stay home, stay safe,” he added.

Makinde is the third known governor that tested positive for the disease, after Bala Mohammed and Nasir El-Rufai of Bauchi and Kaduna States respectively.

Barely 24 hours before the governor tested positive, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control announced four new confirmed cases in Oyo.

Among them are the Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo; Provost and Deputy Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, professors Ezekiel Olapade-Olaopa and Obafunke Denloye, respectively. As of Sunday, Oyo State had recorded seven confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the NCDC.

Earlier, the governor had imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the state and suspended inter-state transportation into and out of the state.