The son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Mohammed Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, of lying about how he contracted coronavirus
Mr Abubakar, in a short message shared with an online newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, via a WhatsApp platform, said he never shook hands with the governor when they met on board an Aero Contractors aircraft.
The duo, accompanied by their wives, boarded the plane on March 18 at about 5:20 p.m from Lagos to Abuja.
On his return to Abuja, Mr Abubakar tested positive for the virus, and has since been undergoing treatment at a government facility.
Following Atiku Abubakar’s open declaration of his son’s health status, the governor’s spokesperson, Mukhtar Gidado, announced in a statement that the governor had self-isolated, citing his meeting with Mr Abubakar.
Mr Mohammed said he boarded the same flight and shook hands with Mr Abubakar.
On Tuesday, Mr Gidado said in another statement that Gov Mohammed had tested positive for the virus.
“This is to inform the general public that the results of the six initial tests carried out by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, his family and aides that accompanied him to Lagos is (sic) out,” the statement said.
“Of the six initial tests carried out, one sample was confirmed positive of COVID-19. The positive result happens to be that of His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State.
“At this point, it should be noted that the governor is on self-isolation as his doctors and officials from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) have taken full charge of his quarantine.”
“His Excellency solicits for prayers from all and requests that all those who had contact with him or anyone known to have the same medical condition to go for test immediately in order to avert further spread of COVID-19 epidemic,” the statement reads.
But Mr Abubakar said the governor sat on one side of the aisle, while he was on another side with his wife.
“We greeted but never shook hands,” he said.
