BY Chinedu Asadu
On Wednesday, Gboyega Oyetola, governor of Osun state, took the test for coronavirus after the state recorded its first case of the disease.
He joined a growing number of governors now testing for the virus, after exposing themselves, either through the persons they had met or where they had been to.
There are reports that the 46 confirmed cases in Nigeria as of Wednesday morning is underestimated considering that the country has tested only a little number, when compared to the situation in other countries.
TheCable could not immediately confirm the number of Nigerians that have been tested as at Wednesday but data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) showed that only 152 had been tested as of March 22.
This is largely as a result of Nigeria’s lack of enough test kits which are said to be costly.
SIX GOVERNORS TESTED SO FAR
As of Wednesday, six governors said they had undergone tests for the coronavirus, out of which one turned out positive.
On the contrary, there have been complaints about how some Nigerians who have been exposed to the virus are unable to get tested.
Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi state, contracted coronavirus after being exposed to the disease on at least two occasions: he was in Germany, one of the worst-hit countries, and also met with a son of Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, who also tested positive for the virus.
In the case of Oyetola, the governor said he and his wife took the test “as a way of leading by example.”
Writing via his Twitter handle, he also said he was in Abuja — which has recorded eight cases — for the better part of last week
In Edo, Godwin Obaseki, the governor, has taken the test and is currently in self-isolation after meeting with his Bauchi counterpart, who has tested positive for the disease.
Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki’s spokesman, also said the governor had met with Abba Kyari, President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff, who contracted the virus as well.
Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, is also in that category. On Wednesday, he took the coronavirus test after exposing himself to the disease.
Writing via his Twitter handle, he said: “I’m asymptomatic and feel well, but I was in meetings with two people who had since tested positive. I look forward to an all clear and have encouraged all my colleagues to take the test.”
Yahaya Bello, his counterpart in Kogi state, has also undergone testing for the virus, after meeting with Kyari about a week ago.
The president’s chief of staff was in the state to condole with the governor over his mother’s death.
No doubt more governors will likely undergo testing especially considering the governors’ forum met about a week ago.
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