John Charles examines the political journey of Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, who has secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Benue State for the third time. Alia’s recent foray into politics has been anything but smooth. When he first entertained the idea of leaving the pulpit for the turbulent arena of Nigerian politics, he could not have imagined that achieving noble and honorable goals would entail such pain, trials, and difficulties. His momentum waned daily as he faced fierce opposition from within his own party and from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. As a spiritual man, Alia believes that everything is ordained by God, yet he also understands that commitment, prayer, and destiny play crucial roles in overcoming life’s battles. He has weathered numerous unexpected challenges from both his party and the ruling PDP, yet he has consistently brushed them aside.
Alia has made history as the first governorship candidate in Benue State to win three party primaries. In the first APC primary on May 27, 2022, he defeated eleven other aspirants in a direct primary, polling 526,807 votes against his nearest rival, Dr. Mathias Byuan, who received 113,816 votes. Former Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs Dr. Sam Ode came third with 79,369 votes, former Deputy Governor Chief Stephen Lawan fourth with 46,882 votes, and other candidates trailed with lower totals. The victory sparked protests from several aspirants, notably Senator Barnabas Gemade, former Minister of Justice Michael Aondoakaa, and Prof. Terhemba Shija. Shija’s letter to the APC national leadership called the primary a “sham and an aberration of democracy,” while Gemade condemned the sudden adoption of the direct primary as “improper, ultra vires and unacceptable.” Ikya also questioned the party’s failure to observe the rules governing the direct mode.
In response, the APC set up a governorship appeal committee chaired by Princess Ozoamaka Oyeama. After hearing the aggrieved parties, the panel recommended a fresh primary, arguing that the original results were “too flawless” to be credible. The National Working Committee accepted the recommendation and ordered a rerun in twelve local government areas (LGAs). Joel Omajali, chair of the rerun committee, oversaw the June 4, 2022 rerun in the designated LGAs, declaring Alia the winner with 195,314 votes. A subsequent rescheduled primary on June 9, 2022, chaired by Senator Basheer Lado, announced Alia’s victory with 410,682 votes, far ahead of his closest rival, Sam Ode, who obtained 22,319 votes. Lado provided a detailed breakdown of votes for all aspirants across the 23 LGAs, confirming Alia’s decisive lead.
Following the rerun, the APC held a special congress where state party chairman Austin Agada moved to ratify Alia as the party’s gubernatorial candidate. Although some aggrieved aspirants remained in court, the party’s resilience in conducting fresh primaries each time was praised. Former House of Representatives member and ex‑Benue State chapter chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Goddy Ikerave, lauded the people’s love for Alia, stating that the Tiv electorate’s rejection of the PDP signaled a decisive shift. He described Alia’s candidacy as a divine mandate and warned that financial support from the state government to rival aspirants was an attempt to thwart the people’s will. Ikerave emphasized that Alia’s victory was assured despite legal hurdles, noting that “the way to heaven is not easy; it is a narrow gate,” and that overcoming these obstacles would ultimately bring joy.
State House of Assembly member Bem Mgutyo echoed this optimism, highlighting Alia’s healing ministry and popularity as factors that would secure a free and fair election victory. Former Deputy Speaker Ralph Igbago also praised Alia’s resilience and the widespread “Yes Father” mantra that has become a rallying cry across the state. Conversely, Terrence Kuanum, leader of the pro‑PDP Benue Youth Forum, argued that the APC’s primary process violated the Electoral Act, which requires primaries to be held at least 180 days before general elections and to give INEC 21 days’ notice. He claimed the appellate court’s order for a rerun was unlawful and that the APC therefore lacked a valid candidate for the upcoming governorship election.
Despite the celebrations surrounding Alia’s third primary triumph, some political observers caution that true victory will not be secured until all court cases are resolved.
Comments are closed for this story.