With his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as winner of the March 18 Governorship election, Reverend father Hycinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress, APC has emerged as the second Catholic Priest to govern Benue State.
The first Catholic Priest to govern Benue was late Very Reverend Father Moses Orshio Adasu who was elected 2 January, 1992 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, SDP.
While the Catholic Code of Canon Law decries Priests active participation in partisan politics, available reports indicate that the Nigerian Catholic community may have excommunicated the Benue State Governor Elect, Very Reverend Father Hycinth Alia from participating in liturgical activities.
It would be recalled in the United States of America, USA, a Jesuit Priest, Rev father Robert .F. Drinan was elected to the American Congress, representing Massachusetts from 1971-1981 In the House of Representatives. He, however, resigned from running a second term following pressure from the Vetican.
Prior to this, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Richard was elected in 1823 as the first Priest in American history to Congress.
In Haiti, the Salesian Priest, Jean Betrand Aristide was elected President in 1990.
In Africa, the late Archbishop Isidore D’Souza in the late 1980 headed the National Conference in Benin Republic.
Similarly, Monsignor Monsengwo between 1991-1992 repeated the same feat in Zaire.
However Rev. Fr. Alia polled a total votes of 473,933 to defeat his close rival, Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The returning officer of INEC, Professor Farouq Kuta and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna declared Alia winner of the election.
Already, interested parties in the governance of Benue State are beginning to query who the Rev. Fr. Governor will use as first lady of Benue State
