Benue: Why I dumped priesthood for politics – Gov Alia

Benue State governor, Hyacinth Alia has explained why he dumped his calling as a Catholic priest for the murky waters of Nigerian politics.

According to the cleric, God sent him to redeem the people of Benue State from maladministration.He told Vanguard, “My advent into partisan politics was because too many things were wrong. I’ve lived my life as a functional priest in the last 33 years with my locals. I stayed with them, went to school, and returned to spend time with them some more.

“I have been in the trenches with them, and the people I loved working with, more, were the destitute, the poor masses, those who do not have a voice in the society, and those who are neglected and suppressed.

“When you are preaching the gospel, these are the primary things you must do. God does not want them to be lost to society. These are the people I felt should be taken care of.

“For years, local government teachers were totally forgotten, and I felt their pains. I had that at the back of my mind.”