The Benue State governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has dismissed in its entirety, the petition written to Pope Leo XIV, by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general election in the state, Joseph Waya, alleging misconducts against his person and administration.
Waya had in a petition routed through the Apostolic Nuncio, representing the Holy See in Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, alleged that Alia had, through his actions in office, brought Catholic Church in Nigeria to disrepute.
But, the Benue State governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, said the petition, measured from all perimeters, was built on gossip and personal bitterness, and needed not be given any response.
He urged the public to disregard the petition as a product of frustration and continue to support the administration’s efforts to reposition Benue on the path of progress.
“The attention of the Benue public has been drawn to a petition authored by Mr. Joseph Waya, the 2023 APGA gubernatorial candidate, and addressed to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, alleging misconduct on the part of His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, Governor of Benue State.
“For starters, this petition, measured from all Perimeters, is built on gossip and personal bitterness, and needs not be given any response.
“However, given its mischievous intent to mislead the public on who Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia is, and drag the Catholic Church into partisan politics, it is necessary to set the records straight.
“A glance at the allegations put forward by this aggrieved politician indicate their lack of credibility.
“For a matter as serious as financial misconduct, it is amusing that the petitioner chooses to rely on “Zebra Reporters”, an online blog, when the proper authorities to make such findings from should be the Auditor-General’s reports, budget performance documents, and anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC.
“In Waya’s wild goose-chasing petition, none of these institutions is referenced as having indicted the governor. Therefore, it is not out of place to view his petition as the product of hearsay and personal opinion, which naturally collapses under the weight of its own contradictions when tested against facts and logic.
“Furthermore, the claim that there are no meaningful projects on the ground is a complete misrepresentation of reality as the Alia administration has executed numerous people -oriented projects within just two years,” the statement read in parts.
It noted that Waya’s watery petition exposed him as one who has completely lost touch with the prevailing realities of his state and community.
“The indisputable fact remains that Benue state under Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia is on a fast developmental trajectory as evidenced by the many road projects that are ongoing across Makurdi, Gboko, Otukpo and other local government areas, with many already commissioned.
“Salaries and pensions are being paid with unprecedented regularity, with civil servants in the state receiving their welfare packages latest 25th of every month. Hospitals are being rehabilitated and equipped. Schools are being renovated while teacher welfare is being prioritised.
“Beyond this, the administration is already attracting global partnerships with various development partners like UNIDO, GIZ, and AFC to industrialize the state and build a climate-smart economy.
“It is rather unfortunate that Mr. Waya, though wealthy enough to challenge for the Governorship of the state, has not been able to invest in any development project in his homestead of Mbakegh,(Mbakena) in Mbayongo of Vandeikya Local Government area. His ancestral home got the first motorized borehole from the Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (BERWASSA) a few months ago, courtesy of Governor Alia’s administration.
“Against such verifiable evidence, one wonders what benchmark Mr. Waya is using; is it facts on the ground or the figment of his imagination borne out of frustration? Else the facts are there for all to see and only those traumatized by past political defeat, like Mr Waya, can pretend not to see.
“Equally misleading is his attempt to portray the slogan “No Alia, No Benue” as a violent militia movement. In truth, this is nothing more than a political chant symbolizing grassroots support for the administration. To twist it into something sinister is mischief of the highest order.
“The same pattern runs through his allegations of violence and intimidation against political opponents. He makes outlandish claims in this regard without providing any corroborating security reports from the police, the DSS or the independent media, rendering them unsubstantiated and speculative.
“The recklessness extends further with his statement that Governor Alia dismantled the anti-open grazing law. This is simply false and misleading. The law remains in place and is actively being enforced. The unfortunate Yelewata killings are part of a broader insecurity challenge affecting the entire Middle Belt, and to weaponize such tragedy and pin terrorism on the governor is not only dishonest but also insensitive to the victims.
“Equally hollow is Mr Waya ‘s assertion that the governor is at war with the Catholic Church. No Catholic Bishop in the state has issued any communiqué against the governor in this light, neither has the Vatican made any pronouncement in same regard.
“To put the record straight, the Church in the state is not in conflict with the government. It is only an aggrieved politician attempting to manufacture division for his own ends that can contrive the hogwash seen from Waya.
“It is worth noting that the petitioner was a defeated gubernatorial candidate in the last election. His grievances, clothed in pitiful religiosity, are clearly politically motivated and come from a man who still nursing the wounds of past defeat and seeking relevance from places higher above his reach.
Dragging the Holy Father into Benue politics is desperation of the highest order,” the statement added.
It insisted that Waya’s petition was nothing more than a bundle of bitterness, riddled with unverified gossip and devoid of evidence, saying his was a mere political lamentation disguised as ecclesiastical concern.
“The facts remain that Governor Alia is delivering tangible development, his popularity continues to unsettle opponents. The Catholic Church remains a moral force and cannot be used as a pawn in the hands of a political trickster like Waya.
“Alia’s popularity is gnawing at the hearts of opponents, and that is why smear campaigns have become their daily bread,” the governor’s spokesman added.
