Gov Alia Dismisses Waya’s Petition to Pope Leo XIV as Baseless, Politically Motivated

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has dismissed a petition filed against him by Joseph Waya, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), calling it baseless and driven by personal bitterness.

Waya had submitted the petition through the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, accusing Governor Alia of bringing the Catholic Church in Nigeria into disrepute through his conduct in office.

In a statement released on Saturday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, Governor Alia described the petition as lacking merit, stating it was an attempt to mislead the public and entangle the Church in partisan politics.

“The petition, measured from all perimeters, is built on gossip and personal bitterness, and needs not be given any response,” the statement read.

Alia rejected claims of financial misconduct, noting that the allegations were based on reports from online blogs rather than credible sources such as the Auditor-General’s reports, budget documents, or investigations by anti-corruption agencies.

Responding to claims of underperformance, the governor highlighted various developmental efforts by his administration, including ongoing road construction projects in Makurdi, Gboko, Otukpo, and other local government areas, prompt payment of salaries and pensions, hospital upgrades, and school renovations. He also pointed to partnerships with international development bodies like UNIDO, GIZ, and AFC aimed at industrializing the state.

On accusations related to violence, the alleged dismantling of the state’s anti-open grazing law, and tensions with the Catholic Church, the statement dismissed them as “misleading and unsubstantiated,” noting that no security agency or Church authority had validated such claims.

The governor’s office characterized the petition as an expression of Waya’s frustration following his defeat in the 2023 governorship election, describing it as a bid for political relevance.

“The Catholic Church remains a moral force and cannot be used as a pawn in the hands of a political trickster like Waya,” the statement concluded.