‎Rivers Chief Judge Blocks Assembly’s Impeachment Bid Against Fubara

By Emmanuel Kwada

This Video Is Trending Right Now →

‎The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has formally declined a request from the State House of Assembly to establish a seven-member judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.

‎The Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, passed a resolution earlier this month directing the Chief Judge to constitute the panel under Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

‎The move followed claims of budgetary violations, unauthorized spending, and failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill, escalating the long-running political rift in the oil-rich state.

‎In a detailed letter dated January 20, 2026, addressed to Speaker Amaewhule, Justice Amadi explained that his hands are legally tied by subsisting interim court injunctions.

‎He confirmed that his office was served with two separate orders on January 16, 2026, from the Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo.

‎These injunctions, stemming from suits filed by Governor Fubara (Suit No. OYHC/7/CS/2026) and Deputy Governor Odu (Suit No. OYHC/6/CS/2026), explicitly restrain the Chief Judge—and by extension, any actions connected to the impeachment—from receiving, considering, or acting on any resolutions, requests, or documents related to the proceedings against the two officials.

‎Justice Amadi emphasized the doctrine of lis pendens (pending litigation), noting that the Speaker has already filed appeals against the injunctions at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, with notices served on his office on January 19 and 20.

‎“By the doctrine of ‘lis pendens’, parties and the court have to await the outcome of the appeal,” he wrote.

‎He added that the existence of the injunctions and the pending appeals render him “legally disabled” from performing his constitutional duties in this matter.

‎The Chief Judge appealed for understanding from the lawmakers, urging them to appreciate the constraints imposed by the rule of law. “In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders,” he stated.

‎“I am therefore legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in the instant.” He called on the Assembly to be “magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.”

‎This development effectively stalls the impeachment process, shifting the focus squarely to the courts.

‎The Assembly’s impeachment initiative has been controversial since its inception, amid broader tensions involving former Governor Nyesom Wike and federal political alignments. Governor Fubara’s camp has consistently described the moves as politically motivated and procedurally flawed.

‎As the legal battles continue, political observers in Rivers State anticipate heightened tensions, with the next court hearing potentially scheduled soon.

‎The situation underscores the fragile balance of power in one of Nigeria’s most strategically important states, where judicial interventions have repeatedly shaped the trajectory of executive-legislative conflicts.