The governor of Benue State, Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia, has stated that he became governor in order to save the souls of the people, News About Nigeria reports.
He stated this in an interview with newsmen, noting that his advent into partisan politics was because too many things were wrong.
He disclosed that having lived as a functional priest in the last 33 years with the locals, staying with them, and going to school with them, he experienced firsthand the agony of the poor masses, those who did not have a voice in society, and those who were neglected and suppressed, and that propelled him to run for governor.
The governor also noted that the church is not against her priests joining partisan politics, as opposed to what some people think and say.
He added that there is a leeway that if the church judges that society is too dysfunctional and that the only person to salvage the situation is a priest, then, someone can spring up via the church to save the rest of the people.
“Not many people understand this, and this is why I had to come in and save the souls. We had to take care of the human beings that are out there. In a number of places in the state, some primary schools are no longer functional. We need to fight for the future of Benue, which is like fighting for democracy.
“You know, Benue was number one in a number of things not just in the production of yams but in the production of soya beans. So, we need to get back to this. I came to save the soul of the poor masses of the state. I came in to assure them that God loves them and that God loves them through democracy so that they can understand they and their children hold the future,” He stated.
According to him, since the creation of the state, it has been a glorified village, adding that there were no lights on the streets in the state capital, and noted that it is now that his administration is trying to construct internal roads because the internal roads were minimally tarred.
He, therefore, noted that this was a fight for democracy.
“We have to fight for democracy and these are the things that we have been trying to do. People need to understand that government is an opportunity to protect people’s lives and ensure that the people go back to their agrarian society. So, I came in for the state to have the fullness of democracy and the fullness of life,” he added.
