The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 general election in Benue state, Joseph Waya, has written a petition to Pope Leo XIV, calling his attention to the alleged misconducts of the state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
A copy of the petition dated September 1, 2025, and made available to journalists in Abuja, was copied to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN); Archbishop of Abuja Eclessiatic Province, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, and Bishops of the four Catholic Dioceses in Benue State.
In the petition, routed through the Apostolic Nuncio, representing the Holy See in Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, Waya alleged that Alia has through his actions in office brought Catholic Church in Nigeria to disrepute.
The petitioner said, as a devout Nigerian Catholic, baptised into the faith in 1974 and raised within a family that holds steadfast to the Church’s traditional doctrines and moral teachings, he felt duty-bound to defend the Church and its teachings.
Waya alleged that after more than two years in office, Governor Alia has not merely underperformed but conducted himself in ways that make his secular predecessors appeared virtuous by comparison, adding that the State allegedly descended into despair and public resentment which is beginning to extend beyond the governor to the Church itself.
“The Zebra Reporters, an online publication, has documented allegations of massive corruption amounting to N345.3 billion (approximately $225.6 million) through dubious contract awards over the past two years. These contracts were allegedly awarded without due process, budgetary provision, or State Executive Council approval.
“Despite these enormous expenditures, no meaningful projects have been commissioned,
leaving the state with impassable roads and a complete absence of basic amenities. This financial mismanagement created such tension between the governor and the State Assembly that the state was effectively paralysed for weeks, culminating in the forced resignation of the Assembly Speaker.
“Since assuming office, Rev. Fr. Alia has engaged in destructive conflicts with virtually every institution and individual who disagrees with him. He has quarrelled with the political mentors who helped secure his election, attempted to forcibly assume control of his party’s leadership, and created such division that the party split into hostile factions.
“Most troublingly, the governor has engaged in public conflict with the Catholic Church itself – the very institution whose reputation facilitated his election. Benue State encompasses four Catholic dioceses, yet Governor Alia maintains frosty relations with the bishops and his fellow priests.
“In preparation for the 2027 elections, Governor Alia has been touring the state inciting supporters to violence against potential challengers. He has made specific threats against contestants from the Kunav clan, reinforced by his known associates who have publicly stated that anyone daring to contest against Rev. Fr. Alia will face physical assault. These threats are so serious that formal petitions have been filed with security agencies, including the police and Department of State Security.
“Governor Alia has cultivated a violent group called ‘No Alia, No Benue’ and has boasted publicly that he will secure re-election ‘by whatever means, including diabolical.’ Such conduct represents an unprecedented level of criminal intimidation in Benue State politics.
“Perhaps most gravely, Governor Alia has compromised the security of his own people through his relationship with Fulani jihadists. Prior to his election, the state had successfully implemented anti-open grazing legislation that significantly reduced attacks by these groups masquerading as herdsmen. However, during his campaign, Rev. Fr. Alia reportedly assured these jihadists that he would repeal this protective legislation if elected.
“Upon assuming office, he dismantled the structures established by the anti-grazing law, leading to a renewed wave of murderous attacks. The recent assault on Yelwata, where over 200 people were killed, drew international attention. Rather than leading the state in mourning, Governor Alia displayed shocking insensitivity by celebrating during the President’s condolence visit,” the petition read in parts.
He told the Pope that the Catholic Church in Nigeria has long been recognised as a champion of good governance, accountability, and human development, saying for centuries, the Church has provided essential services – education, healthcare, and social amenities – often where government has failed to do so.
Waya, however, said the governor’s conduct raised the troubling question that: “if the Church has historically held governments accountable even under military regimes, why does it remain silent when one of its own priests misgoverns a state populated largely by Catholic adherents?”
He appealed to the Pope to take a decisive stand regarding Fr Alia’s role in politics and its impact on the Church, adding that his alleged misconduct was dividing the Church, undermining its reputation, and causing scandal to the faithful.
“The situation requires urgent intervention to preserve the integrity of the Catholic Church in Nigeria and to reaffirm the Church’s commitment to the moral principles it has always championed.
“May Your Holiness consider this appeal with the wisdom and pastoral care that have
characterised your pontificate, and may the Almighty guide your decisions in this matter,” the petition added.
However, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Governor Alia, Tersoo Kula, was yet to respond to questions directed to him on the petition at press time.
