List of Popular Nigerian Pastors Who Left the Pulpit to Become Governors in Their States
Clergymen are believed to be called by God to serve humanity through the altar. Anything outside of church activities is considered a distraction to their divine calling. Little wonder, some denominations don’t allow their pastors to participate in politics.
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However, few Nigerian clergymen have been daring enough to step out of their comfort zone into the political sphere and have emerged as governors in three states.
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In this article, Legit.ng lists the four Nigerian clerics who left the altar to become state governors.
Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu
First on the list is Very Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu, who was known for saying that politics is not a dirty game, but those who are in it for selfish reasons make it dirty.
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He said:
"I am in politics to baptise politics and make it pure".
The clergyman-turned-politician was elected the second Executive Governor of Benue State on 2 January 1992 under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
However, his tenure was cut short when General Sani Abacha came to power in November 1993 and he was replaced by Group Captain Joshua Obademi.
He made an attempt to return to politics in June 2002 as a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) party.
Adasu challenged the then-incumbent Governor George Akume of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 2003 gubernatorial elections but lost.
Adasu, who was born on 12 June 1945, died on 20 November 2005.
Jolly Nyame
Jolly Tavoro Nyame, born on 25 December 1955, was Ordained a Reverend in the United Methodist Church of Nigeria. He was elected governor of Taraba state in 1992 after he joined the previous.
His tenure, just like Agasu, was short-lived due to the military takeover by the late General Sani Abacha.
Nyame returned to politics and was elected governor of Taraba state in 1999 under the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and re-elected in 2003 for a second term in office.
His victory at the 2003 gubernatorial election made him the only individual to have won three governorship elections in Taraba state.
Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia
Rev Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia upset the Catholic Church and was suspended in May, 2022, after he announced his decision to get the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State.
Alia, who was with the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, emerged as the APC gubernatorial candidate and later won the March 18, governorship poll to become the second priest after Adasu to contest for the Benue state's seat of power
The Revd. father won 473,933 votes ahead of his closest rival and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Titus Uba, who scored 223,913.
The renowned Catholic priest was born on 15th May 1966 at Mbangur, Mbadede, Vandeikya Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
Pastor Umo Eno
Pastor Umo Eno is the founder of All Nations Christian Ministry International in Akwa Ibom State.
The clergyman was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the winner of the March 18 gubernatorial election.
Eno was declared the winner after he scored 354,348 to defeat his closest rivals — Akanimo Udofia of the APC, who scored 129,602 votes and Labour Party (LP)’s Uduakobong Udoh who got 4,746 votes.
Catholic Bishop, Hyacinth Alia, declared winner of Benue state governorship election
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue state, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has been declared winner of the governorship election in Benue state.
The APC candidate was declared the winner of the election following results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Source: Legit.ng
