The political drama in Benue State just took a new twist as Governor Hyacinth Alia dismissed a petition against him addressed to Pope Leo XIV by former All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) gubernatorial candidate, Joseph Waya.
Waya, in his letter to the Vatican, accused Alia of dragging the Catholic Church in Nigeria into disrepute through his style of governance. But the Governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, described the petition as nothing more than “gossip, frustration, and bitterness.”
Gov Alia Reacts to Petition
In a strongly worded statement, Alia urged Nigerians to ignore the petition, stressing that it lacked credibility.
“For starters, this petition, measured from all perimeters, is built on gossip and personal bitterness, and needs not be given any response,” the governor said.
The Benue leader argued that Joseph Waya’s claims were not backed by credible institutions such as the Auditor-General, EFCC, or budget performance reports, but instead relied on questionable online blogs.
“Petition Collapses Under Its Own Contradictions” – Alia’s Camp
The statement further described the petition as a “wild goose chase” with no evidence to prove allegations of financial misconduct or lack of governance.
“It is amusing that for a matter as serious as financial misconduct, the petitioner chooses to rely on online blogs instead of official records,” the statement read.
Governor Alia insisted that his administration has already executed several people-oriented projects in just two years, contrary to Waya’s claims of “no meaningful development.”
Benue Politics Heats Up
This latest clash has set social media abuzz, with many Nigerians divided over whether Waya’s petition was a genuine attempt to seek accountability or simply a political move fueled by rivalry.
For now, Governor Alia says his focus remains on delivering good governance, while dismissing what he calls “baseless distractions.”
