![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
Four South-South governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been assigned to beg the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to support the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in next year’s presidential election.
The governors saddled with the responsibility are Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) and Godwin Obaseki (Edo).
This was made known in a communique at the end of south-south PDP Governors Forum hosted in Uyo, Akwa Ibom by Governor Udom Emmanuel.
Apart from the four governors of the region who attended the meeting, Governor of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, who is also the Director-General, Atiku/Okowa Campaign Council and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, was also in attendance.
Others were the immediate past governors of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke; Lucky Igbinedion of Edo; Celestine Omehia; the immediate past National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus; serving and past members of the National Assembly, serving and past Members of State Assemblies.
The communique was signed by the PDP vice presidential candidate and governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, and made available to journalists in Uyo.
“The meeting strongly urged the four PDP Governors within the South-South Zone that took part in the meeting to do everything necessary within their powers to persuade their brother governors, especially Governor Nyesom Wike, to review their position and join hands with the party to rescue, rebuild and reunite the country in the interest of the suffering Nigerians.
“The meeting formally congratulated HE Atiku Abubakar for his emergence as the party Presidential Candidate and thanked the party leadership for the nomination of one of the great sons of the Zone, Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, as the Presidential running mate.
“The meeting underscored the need for unity and urged all members of the party within the South-South Zone to make all necessary sacrifices both individually and collectively to ensure the victory of the party in all of the elections in 2023, especially to save the country from the precipice and brinks of total collapse culminating from the clueless, incompetent and ineptitude APC’s administration in the country.
“The meeting reviewed recent events in our party, the PDP, and in the country, especially the dwindling fortunes of the country in the areas of insecurity, economy, unemployment, poverty, inflation, corruption, currency devaluation,” the communique read in part.
The bone of contention with the PDP is Wike’s grievances over the way he was treated by the party and its presidential candidate during and after the primaries of the main opposition party.
