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.
