The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Simeon Amadi, has declined to constitute a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, citing subsisting court injunctions restraining him from doing so.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had requested Amadi to set up a seven-member panel to probe the governor and his deputy over allegations of gross misconduct.
In a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, the chief judge said his hands were “fettered” by interim court orders served on his office on January 16, following suits instituted by Fubara and Odu.
According to Amadi, the interim orders expressly barred him from considering or acting on any request, resolution, or document connected to impeachment proceedings against the governor or deputy governor.
He further noted that Amaewhule had already appealed the interim orders at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, adding that the notices of appeal were served on his office on January 19 and 20.
“By the doctrine of lis pendens, parties and the court must await the outcome of the appeal,” Amadi stated.
“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and an appeal against the said orders. I am therefore legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in this matter.”
The chief judge urged the Rivers State House of Assembly to appreciate the legal position and exercise restraint pending the determination of the appeal.
Background
The Rivers State House of Assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy on January 8, 2026. The process began after Major Jack, leader of the Assembly, read out allegations of gross misconduct against the governor, reportedly endorsed by 26 lawmakers.
On January 16, the Assembly passed a resolution requesting the chief judge to constitute a panel to investigate the allegations.
The accusations include budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill to the Assembly, unauthorised expenditure of public funds, and the alleged withholding of statutory allocations to the legislature, among others.
However, a High Court in Port Harcourt subsequently issued an interim order restraining the chief judge from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy.
In the ruling, Justice Florence Fiberesima barred the chief judge from “receiving, forwarding, considering, or acting on any request, resolution, or articles of impeachment” submitted by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.