The Catholic diocese of Gboko, Benue state, has suspended
Hyacinth Alia, one of its priests, for joining the 2023 governorship race.
Alia had, in April 2022, declared his intention to contest
the 2023 governorship election in Benue state on the platform of the All
Progressives Congress (APC).
He had also submitted his nomination and expression of
interest forms earlier in May.
Speaking at a media briefing on May 11, Alia had said his
mission was to ensure that government continues to priorotise the needs of
residents.
“Benue is broken
enough and it’s time to fix it. I joined partisan politics to salvage the state
from collapse,” he had said at the roll-out of his seven-point agenda for the
state.
But in a letter dated May 20, 2022, and addressed to priests
and members of the congregation, William Avenya, bishop of the Catholic diocese
of Gboko, said the canon law of the Catholic church forbids its clerics from being
involved in partisan politics.
Avenya said Alia has been barred from public ministry until
“he ceases from contumacy”, adding that the priest had been admonished
severally before the action was taken.
“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.
“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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