Tinubu tests negative, says coronavirus is real

Oki urges Buhari to draft military to enforce stay-at-home directives

The National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has warned Nigerians who remain skeptical about the existence of Coronavirus (COVID-19) that the pandemic is real.

In a statement yesterday, Tinubu’s Spokesman, Mr. Tunde Rahman said: “Those of us who discount it (COVID-19) or claim it is a fabrication are doing a grave and dangerous disservice to the public well-being. Likewise, those who stigmatise people who may have been stricken by the virus are also doing a disservice by casting blame on the innocent and discouraging people from taking the COVID-19 test.”

“Following the death of our well-respected and beloved Chief Security Officer, Alhaji Lateef Raheem, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) medics took the wise precaution of taking samples from his body for testing to actually determine the cause of death. Today, the test results are back. The samples tested positive for COVID-19.”

“As a precautionary measure taken soon after the death of Alhaji Raheem, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and all their aides took COVID-19 tests on Saturday, April 25, 2020. The results of the tests were returned this morning. Test results for both Asiwaju Tinubu and Senator Tinubu were negative.

“The results of one aide were positive. The rest of members of staff tested negative. One member of staff member has been isolated in accordance with NCDC guidelines. Further contact tracing and COVID-19 tests are being conducted by the NCDC with regard to the relatives and possible contacts of that staff member.”

Meanwhile, the erstwhile Governorship Campaign Director of Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, Mr. Foud Oki, has warned the Federal Government against lifting the lockdown directives at this period when the number of those testing positive for COVID-19 is on the increase.

He appealed to the government to draft military personnel out to enforce the stay-at-home directives, saying: “With the menace of the pandemic, Nigeria is in a state of war and if people refused to abide by the directives, it would not be out of place to quarantine.”