Cleric aspiring to be second Catholic father to govern Benue reacts to his dismissal

Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, the APC candidate in Benue, has got the axe for participating in partisan politics.

Alia picked the APC N50m nomination form weeks ago, and he is one of the frontliners in the contest.

Bishop of Gboko diocese, William A. Avenya, announced Alia’s dismissal yesterday.

According to the letter, signed by the Catholic Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Bishop William Avenya, directed to all priests and churches in the Diocese, “the catholic church does not allow its priests to get into partisan politics on their own.”

In response to the decision which took effect immediately,  Alia said it is a normal practice of the church.

He said he is officially freed to go on fully with his political ambition, recalling the late Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu, former governor of the state went through the same process.

“From the day I took the decision to answer the overwhelming calls of my people to contest the governorship of Benue with the aim to rescue our people from the shackles of maladministration, I was fully aware of the sacrifice I was going to make,” he said.

“And am convinced that it is worth the cause I am fighting to serve the souls of Benue people and the State. I have a freer leverage to give more time to achieving this pursuit.”