Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has tested positive for coronavirus. He made the announcement through his Twitter handle on Monday.
He wrote: “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.
After Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Makinde is the third known Nigerian governor that tested positive for the dreaded disease.
About 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.
According to the NCDC, Oyo State had recorded seven confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Sunday.
Makinde had earlier imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the state and suspended inter-state transportation into and out of the state.
