![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")
There are strong indications that the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu, may be a beneficiary of the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as some PDP governors and leaders are said to have pledged to work for him in the 2023 presidential election.
It will be recalled that the PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State have been in a frosty relationship over demands to remove the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
Also, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, among others, have called for Ayu’s removal.
This came on a day the APC presidential candidate appointed Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State as the Zonal Coordinator of his presidential Campaign Council in the South-West.
Similarly, a pan-Nigeria group, the Patriots Roundtable, yesterday, pledged to support Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.
It was gathered that some PDP governors and leaders may have committed to work for Tinubu in next year’s presidential election.
Vanguard was reliably informed that following the worsening crisis rocking the PDP, some PDP governors and leaders have pledged to support Tinubu’s candidacy if the PDP crisis continues.
A source, familiar with the workings of the APC, confirmed the possible alliance with Tinubu, saying “of course, it is true.”
The source said: “From the way the PDP is handling its crisis, you should know that not all the PDP governors will support Atiku. It is clear and glaring.”
