By Pascal Ibe
Introduction
Governor Hyacinth Alia has been under continuous criticism from supporters of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, after youths blocked him from visiting Benue State on 8 September.
On that day, youths suspected to be loyalists of one of the political parties were reported to have mounted roadblocks on the two-lane Makurdi-Gboko federal highway, preventing Obi from passing through to Yelewata, where he was billed to meet and commiserate with victims of the June 2025 attacks.
The NDC presidential candidate was said to have arrived at the Makurdi airport located at the Tactical Air Command Makurdi on Tuesday morning, and was received by the governorship candidate of the party, Terhemba Shija, along with party officials amid jubilation and cultural dance performance.
But trouble reportedly started a few meters away from the airport when Obi’s convoy ran into a roadblock on the two-lane Makurdi-Gboko federal highway by angry youths.
The next day, the Benue State Government accused Obi of breaching protocol with his visit to the state.
Since then, Obi’s supporters have been berating the Benue State governor, describing his administration’s refusal to condemn the action as a deliberate attempt to politicise a serious matter like that.
Claim
An X user, @ Uno_009 ( Mayor of Calabar), has posted (archived here) a letter from the Catholic Diocese of Gboko suspending Governor Alia, who is a Catholic priest.
In the letter signed by the Bishop of the diocese, William A. Avenya, it states that Fr. Alia is being suspended for his involvement in partisan politics.
The X user, @Uno_009, who posted the letter, wrote, “BREAKING: Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has reportedly been officially suspended from parading himself as a priest by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Gboko.”
The post has generated over 127,000 views as of Monday 14 September, with many believing that the letter was recent.
See some comments here and here.
Verification
However, reviewing the letter, FACTWATCH Nigeria observed that the date it was issued by the Bishop was 20 May 2022. This is primary evidence that the letter was not recent.
While giving reasons for the suspension, the Bishop said it was necessary to suspend Fr Alia at that time because he purchased the gubernatorial form of the All Progressives Congress for the Benue State Governorship election in 2023.
According to the letter, Fr. Alia’s involvement in partisan politics is against the Catholic Church vocation.
The Bishop said the “Canonical Suspension” will be lifted once he ceases from “Contumacy.”
Section 1371(2) of the Code of Canon Law provides for sanctions for “a person who otherwise does not obey a legitimate precept or prohibition of the Apostolic See, an ordinary, or a superior and who persists in disobedience after a warning”.
Meanwhile, Section 285(3) of the Code of Canon Law also states that “clerics are forbidden to assume public offices which entail a participation in the exercise of civil power.”
But it is expected that Governor Alia will return to the priesthood after his time as governor of Benue State.
Some news websites reported the story in 2022 here and here.
Verdict
By reposting the letter in 2026, alongside the claim that it was a recent development, it is therefore, MISLEADING.
