Suspended Gkoko Catholic Diocese Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, emerges governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.

Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, who was recently suspended by the Bishop of Gkoko Catholic Diocese for engaging in partisan politics, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.

Reverend Alia received a total of 526,807 votes to defeat his closest rival, Matthias Byuan, who scored 133,816 votes, while Sam Ode, former minister of Niger Delta Affairs came third with 79,369 votes.

Chairman of the Benue State APC primary election committee Peter Ojie made the declaration at the party secretariat in Makurdi the state capital, to conclude the two-day-long process of direct primary elections better known as Option A4.

While speaking to newsmen after the direct primary mode by the APC leadership, Reverend Alia, said he was satisfied with the result.

However, reacting to the announcement, an APC governorship aspirant in the state, Professor Terhemba Shija, said the process was questionable.

Report says that Reverend Alia will now contest against Titus Uba, who is speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election.

AMEEN         KANTIYOK