My suspension from public masses normal practice of the church— Guber aspirant, Fr. Alia

…I’m free to go on with Benue’s rescue mission

By Titus Atondu, Makurdi

The frontline Benue State gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has informed members, stakeholders and leaders of the part in the state that the suspension order pronounced on him by His Lordship, the Bishop of Gboko  Catholic Diocese, William Avenya, is a normal practice of the church.

Fr. Alia also revealed that he is  officially freed to go on fully with his strides to rescue Benue from total collapse.

This was made known in a press statement signed by Head of media and Publicity, Alia 2023 Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, Kula Tersoo, and made available to Nigerian NewsDirect.

Recall that late Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu who served as the second Executive Governor of Benue state went through the same process and His footprints are visible for all to see.

He explained that as stated clearly in the letter of suspension, he is only suspended from celebrating public Eucharistic Masses, but he remains a priest of the Catholic Church forever,  after he ends his  tenure  in public civil service he shall resume his public Masses and ministry.

He said, “From the day I took the decision to answer the overwhelming calls of my people to contest the Governorship of Benue with the aim to rescue our people from the shackles of maladministration, I was fully aware of the sacrifice I was going to make. And am convinced that it is worth the cause I am fighting to serve the souls of Benue people and the State. I have a freer leverage to give more time to achieving this pursuit.

“I remain resolute and please don’t be anxious either because I am well prepared and focused. More importantly, I am more charged because I have seen the genuineness in the agitations for me to step in and help salvage the already sorry situation the state has found itself for sometime.

“As stated in the last paragraph of the suspension letter, I shall return to the public pulpit after I must have served out my mandate as the Governor of Benue state.”

The Rev. Gentleman called on all his teeming supporters, fans and admirers to remain steadfast, continue to pray and work in order to actualise the Alialisation 2023 project.