2027: Petition against Alia politically motivated, Benue academics tell Catholic Bishops

2026-03-16 - 18:16

By Peter Duru, Makurdi A group under the aegis of Kunav Progressive Academics has dismissed a petition submitted by some governorship aspirants from Vandeikya Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State to Catholic Bishops in the state, describing it as a politically motivated document aimed at discrediting Governor Hyacinth Alia. The academics made their position known on Monday where they rejected the petition and questioned the moral standing of its signatories. The petition, dated February 27, 2026, had been addressed to the Catholic Bishops of Gboko, Otukpo, Makurdi and Katsina-Ala Dioceses by a coalition of governorship aspirants who accused Governor Alia of allegedly using church platforms to make threatening political remarks. The petitioners who were selected governorship aspirants in the last general elections claimed the governor made controversial statements during a thanksgiving Mass at All Saints Catholic Church, Tsenge, on January 18, 2026. They alleged that during the church gathering, the governor made comments endorsing “brute force” and used expressions such as asking supporters to “bite off the finger” of anyone threatening them among others. However, addressing journalists, the Kunav Progressive Academics, through their spokesman, Prof. Daniel Chile said the petition misrepresented the governor’s remarks and twisted indigenous expressions to portray them as threats. “We stand before you today not as politicians or apologists for any administration, but as academics and stakeholders committed to the truth, the development of Benue State and the integrity of our sacred institutions,” the group of 35 academics stated. According to them, after reviewing the document, they concluded that it was “not a genuine pastoral concern but a carefully scripted political manifesto disguised as a religious complaint.” The group argued that the comments attributed to the Governor during the Tsenge thanksgiving Mass were metaphorical expressions rooted in Tiv socio-political discourse and should not be interpreted as literal threats of violence. “In Tiv socio-political discourse, such proverbial expressions are traditionally used to emphasise resilience and vigilance. To equate these idioms with a literal endorsement of violence is either intellectually dishonest or a sign of poor understanding of Tiv communication,” the academics said. They further maintained that Governor Alia was addressing well-wishers during a thanksgiving ceremony and not delivering a political speech, adding that the remarks were taken out of context to create public outrage. The academics also accused the petitioners of pursuing personal political ambitions ahead of the 2027 governorship election, noting that many of them had already declared interest in contesting against the governor. “These are the same individuals who weeks ago held a press conference announcing their ambition to unseat Governor Alia in 2027. Their petition to the Bishops is simply chapter two of that same political manifesto,” the group said. They urged the Catholic bishops to treat the petition with caution and avoid allowing the church to be drawn into partisan political disputes. The group’s Convener, Dr. Elijah Ekpanor also highlighted what he described as achievements of the Alia administration, including infrastructural developments, industrial revival initiatives, employment of thousands of teachers, improvements in healthcare facilities and economic empowerment programmes among others. According to them, Governor Alia remains committed to peace, development and the welfare of the people of Benue State, urging residents to ignore what they described as distractions driven by political rivalry ahead of the 2027 elections.