Abia State Governor tests positive to COVID-19

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Commissioner for Information in Abia, John Okiyi Kalu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, June 8, 2020.

Ikpeazu had gone into isolation following the death of his Commissioner for Environment, Solomon Ogunji, on May 24.

Ogunji was suspected to have died of hypertension. However, tests for COVID-19 on his remains returned positive.

The governor had advised Abia Exco members who had contact with Ogunji, before his death, to also observe self-isolation until they had been tested for the virus.

The state's deputy governor, Ude Chukwu, will stand-in for Ikpeazu until he's declared fit to return to work.

In March, Ikpeazu had said COVID-19 will not come anywhere near his state because Abia is the only state mentioned in the Bible.

"Abia is the only state that is mentioned in the Bible. We have a promise from God that none of these diseases...none will touch God's people. And I hold onto God's promise. We saw Ebola, it did not get to us. We saw monkey pox, it didn't get to us.

Even this one (COVID-19), will also pass us by in Jesus name. Amen." Abia has reported 83 COVID-19 cases and 7 recoveries as of June 7, 2020.

Abia State Commissioner for Environment passes away

The Abia State Commissioner for Environment, Chief Solomon Ogunji, is dead.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu, confirmed his death in a statement on Sunday. The statement read in part,

“It is with great sadness and a deep sense of loss that we announce the demise of a member of Abia State Executive Council and the Honorable Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Solomon Ogunji, who passed away on Saturday, 23rd May, 2020, at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, after a brief illness related to high blood pressure.

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, who received the sad news with shock yesterday (Saturday) has personally communicated and condoled with the family of the bereaved and is currently in mourning.

We pray that the Almighty God will give the family of Dr Ogunji the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss and rest his soul in the bosom of the Lord.”