Akeredolu is 5th Nigerian governor to test positive for coronavirus

Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to an announcement he made on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.

The governor said he suffered from malaria which was treated, before he was then advised to get a COVID-19 test by an unnamed fellow governor after the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives' Congress (APC) which took place on Thursday, June 25.

"I'm not feeling sick, neither am I feeling odd in any way, but my doctors have decided that I should take the normal treatment and self-isolate," he said.

The 63-year-old said he'll be on a supervised home management of the disease that has already infected 25,133 people and killed 573 in Nigeria, as of June 29.

A video was posted online on Monday, June 29 showing Akeredolu sneezing into his palms, a symptom of the coronavirus, while he was surrounded by at least a dozen supporters.

No one in the video was wearing a face mask, one of the main preventive measures advised by authorities.

This happened two weeks ago when the governor submitted his governorship election nomination form as he prepares to run for a second term in office.

Akeredolu is the fifth state governor in Nigeria to be infected following Bauchi's Governor Bala Mohammed, Kaduna's Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Oyo's Governor Seyi Makinde, and Abia's Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Others have recovered except Ikpeazu who tested positive earlier in June.