Most Rev. William Avenya, the Catholic Bishop of Gboko Diocese in Benue state, stated on Saturday evening that Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia had been suspended from the priesthood due to his engagement in partisan politics.
The suspension is effective immediately, according to a letter from Avenya dated May 21, 2022.
“The Mother Church does not allow her clerics to get involved in partisan politics. Fr. Alia has gone contrary and is hereby suspended with immediate effect until the day he ceases from contumacy,” the statement reads in part.
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According to Anaedoonline.ng, Rev. Fr. Alia is running for Governor of Benue State on the banner of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and is favored by Benue politics’ zoning scheme.
Based on his recent good relations with the state party leader, Senator George Akume, and the party’s National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, our correspondent concluded that Fr. Alia is favored to win the APC governorship nomination.
The Rev. Father is also considered as a good alternative for the All Progressives Congress to grab power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, according to the findings.
The letter of suspension reads:
“I write to communicate to you the suspension of my priest, Revd. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, from public ministry after series of admonitions to him Ex can. 1371, 2° CIC,” the statement reads.
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“The Mother Church does not allow her clerics to get involved in partisan politics on their own Ex Can. 285, 3 CIC.
“You are aware that my son, your brother and your priest, has purchased the party forms to
contest for the Office of the Governor of Benue State under the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is totally against our vocation.
“Therefore, to respond to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the Church in the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, I have suspended him from the exercise of sacred ministry.
“This canonical suspension takes effect from the moment it is communicated to him and lasts until he ceases from contumacy.”
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