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Kogi’s Refusal to Test for COVID-19 Is Raising Concern, Says NMA
The doctors’ association in Kogi State has expressed concern over the refusal of Kogi State to test suspected cases of coronavirus.
As of Tuesday night, Nigeria has tested 19,512 people with 2,948 confirmed cases and 98 deaths across the country.
Kogi is one of the two states yet to confirm any case of the virus since the country recorded its index case in February. The other state is Cross River.
In Kogi, the state government is deliberately discouraging COVID-19 tests and has alleged that there is a plot by unnamed persons to ensure Kogi records cases of the virus
This attitude of the Kogi government has irked the doctors’ association in Kogi who warn it could be dangerous.
The Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kogi chapter, Kabir Zubair, told PREMIUM TIMES that the consequences of not testing people for the COVID-19 may be too enormous to deal with.
“If the state is not testing anybody despite having many suspected cases, it only translates that there may be more cases to deal with later and we don’t know where they are now.
“Community transmission will be inevitable. And this could only spell impending doom,” he said.
Similarly, last month, the Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, expressed dissatisfaction over the number of samples brought in for testing from states that were yet to record COVID-19 cases.
Naming Kogi alongside other three states (Nasarawa, Yobe and Cross River), the official said there was a lot of capacity to test, but there were not enough samples.
Mr Ihekweazu accused the states of possible negligence or attempts at hiding any record of the disease in the states.
Yobe and Nasarawa have since recorded cases of the virus.
“We have looked at the number of samples collected from these states and we are not satisfied. So, we need to test more. But to test more, we need to collect more and the collection part is the responsibility of the states and their public health teams.
“You can’t hide this. Eventually, it will emerge. There is absolutely no doubt that there are people that have pneumonia, acute respiratory infections in your states,” Mr Ihekweazu said.
In what appeared a reaction to Mr Ihekweazu’s statement, the Kogi State Government alleged there were “recent pressures from some interesting quarters for Kogi State to find and declare cases of the disease.”
In a Tuesday statement by its commissioner for information, Kingsley Fanwo, the state alleged plans to ‘import’ cases of coronavirus into the state through illicit means.
The Kogi government said it would not manufacture cases to satisfy the expectations of unnamed health officials, amidst allegations, including by a journalist, that the state has recorded deaths from the virus at a Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in the state.
Premium Times
By Eric Elezuo
The governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
A letter signed by the governor himself and dated November 4, 2025 revealed that the governor dumped the party about a month before coming out public with the announcement.
Confirming the resignation via a statement, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, wrote;
“Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has resigned his membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) since November 4th, 2025.
“The letter was addressed to the PDP Chairman for ward 2, Sagba Abogunde of
Ede North Local government, Osun State.
“The letter reads as follows: ‘Due to the current crisis within the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I hereby resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect.
‘I thank the Peoples Democratic Party for the opportunities given to me for my elections as a Senator (Represented Osun West) and as Governor of Osun State under the Peoples Democratic Party”, the governor noted in the letter personally signed by him.’
Neither the letter nor the spokesperson’s statement suggested the governor’s next port of call even as political parties in the state are in the season of primaries to elect flag bearers for the 2026 governorship election in the state.
By Eric Elezuo
The Minister of Defence, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed Badaru, and a two-term former governor of Jigawa State, has resigned his appointment. This is shortly after the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa (retd) visited Aso Rock Villa, and had a closed door meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
The resignation, which is with immediate effect, according to statement credited to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is contained in a letter dated December 1, 2025, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu. Badaru, who is 63 years, quoted health grounds as reason for quitting his job.
The statement added that “President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Abubakar for his services to the nation.
“President Tinubu will likely inform the Senate of Badaru’s successor later this week.
His resignation comes amid President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, with plans to elaborate on its scope in due course.
He served as defence minister for 27 months since August 21, 2023.
The immediate past Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has responded to Governor Monday Okpebholo, insisting that no one can bar him from entering Benin City, the State capital.
Obaseki’s response followed Okpebholo’s claim that the former governor would not return to the State because he is allegedly unpopular with the people.
Okpebholo stated this during an interview at the weekend that Edo remains firmly behind President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing what he described as the President’s achievements in the State. He added that he would resign if Tinubu fails to secure re-election in 2027.
He further claimed that Obaseki lacks the courage to visit the State to campaign for anyone other than Tinubu, alleging that the former governor would face rejection from residents, including children, due to what he described as Obaseki’s poor governance record.
“Everybody is for Asiwaju, who is Obaseki? Does he have one anywhere here? Let him come here now. He cannot come. His poor record will prevent him from going to Edo.
“Obaseki dares not come here. If Asiwaju does not win his re-election, I will resign as a governor,” he declared.
In a viral video on Monday, Obaseki countered that Okpebholo, whom he referred to as a man from a village in Edo State, lacks the authority to stop him from entering the State.
The former governor added that he deliberately avoided commenting on Okpebholo’s administration since leaving office, to allow his successor room to perform.
“When you start with violence, you will reap violence. For one year since I left office, I have not said a word on his government, I have said to myself that I would give them the opportunity to shine.
“Suddenly, he started attacking my personality and threatening me. That was enough; he brought people to Manchester to attack me.
“This week, this governor had a disgraceful press conference, where he was threatening me. Somebody born in Oredo. This is a villager threatening me that I cannot come to Benin, and that when I come, he will show me. Me! When I am ready to go, we will all come. This is an insult,” he said.
