Pascal Oparada
Nigerian elite are increasingly getting infected with Coronavirus which has created doubts among the populace if there is really anything like a pandemic in the country after all.
Most of the infections are imported, meaning it is only those who have the means to travel abroad that can get infected.
That is the reason some, if not all, the claims by some state governors being infected are suspicious.
Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, was the first to announce that he was COVID-19 positive.
READ ALSO: https://www.thexpressng.com/2020/04/02/covid-19-gov-ayade-shuts-cross-river-boundaries/
Bala Mohammed sparked a controversy with his announcement when he said he went into isolation after coming in contact with Atiku Abubakar’s son, Mohammad Atiku Abubakar, who tested positive to the virus.
They were en route Lagos to Abuja in an Aero flight when he Bala Mohammed met.
According to Mohammed, he shook hands with Abubakar. But in a swift response, Abubakar refuted Mohammed’s claim saying they only waved at each other and sat at opposite sides of the aisle with their wives.
A Premium Times report further put a lie to Mohammed’s claim of being infected by Mohammed Atiku.
The report said Balla Mohammed was in Germany from March 12th through the 17th where he met with investors and held meetings with Bauchi State indigenes, in Germany.
Upon his return to Nigeria, the governor had other meetings. He met with the business mogul, Aliko Dangote, and the minister of agriculture, Sabo Nanono, last week, according to his tweets.
The tweets said Mr. Dangote led a team of the Aliko Dangote Foundation to his office, and pledged to empower 1,000 rural women in each of the 20 local government areas in the state.
“Also, resulting from our meeting this afternoon, the @AlikoDangoteFdn further committed to building five additional primary healthcare centres for enhanced healthcare service delivery in the state. #GreaterBauchi,” the governor tweeted six days ago.
The tweet was accompanied by a group picture with the governor standing beside Mr. Dangote among other personalities.
Similarly, only recently, the governor tweeted about the minister’s visit with their picture was also shared.
He also shared his photo at the National Economic Council meeting where he sat close to the Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri, and another where he was in a discussion with his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki.
Nigerians are not the least bemused with these high profile claims.
Up to date, Bauchi State has three cases of Coronavirus with the governor being among them.
READ ALSO: https://www.thexpressng.com/2020/04/02/ganduje-wife-pass-covid-19-tests/
The question now is why was the Governor playing ping pong with the disease. Why did he hide his travel history only to latch on to someone who has come out openly to announce he is infected.
Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai recently announced he was diagnosed with Coronavirus.
He is the first person in the state to come out to say he is infected, meaning he is the index case in the state.
el-Rufai has no travel history to any high-risk country. In fact, he is on a travel ban by most European and American countries. Where did he get infected? Who infected him?
During his announcement, el-Rufai did not mention which person infected him. Unlike Bala Mohammed, who said he got infected by Mohammed Atiku, el-Rufai did not tell where he probably got infected.
He was not also in the meeting by Nigeria’s Governors Forum penultimate week, where Bala Mohammed was seen shaking hands with other governors.
How did el-Rufai get infected? Sources from the Abuja said that there is a serious doubt by the presidency that these claims are true.
The third governor to announce he is infected is Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.
“I just received my COVID-19 confirmation test result. It is POSITIVE. I am asymptomatic and will continue to self-isolate.
“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,” Makinde said.
Governor Makinde did not tell us which infected person he came in touch with or which high-risk country he returned from.
Oyo State has the third-highest infection with eight persons behind Lagos, Abuja and Osun states.
Billions have come in donations from high net worth individuals and organisations and the Federal Government has earmarked a huge amount of money to fight the virus across the country.
Lagos State, the epicentre of the Coronavirus in Nigeria, got N10 billion from the Federal Government to help fight the disease. Other donations have come into the state to help it cope with the outbreak.
Could these governors be playing in order to get their hands on a slice of the pie? Time will reveal.
