INEC Declares Catholic Priest, Fr Hyacinth Alia Benue Gov-Elect

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue State, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, as the winner of the March 18 poll and the Governor-Elect.

The Catholic priest won 473,933 votes ahead of his closest rival and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Titus Uba, who scored 223,913.

The Returning Officer, Prof Faruq Kuta and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna declared Alia the winner.

Alia, who is a member of the ruling APC, is expected to take over from Governor Samuel Ortom of the PDP

Alia was suspended from priestly duties in the Catholic following his entrance into partisan politics.

He will become the second catholic priest to govern the middle belt state after Fr Moses Adasu who was governor from 1992-1993.