By Ola Kiya, Reporting
THE Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, has declined a request by the Rivers State House of Assembly to constitute a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
The House of Assembly had, on Friday 16 January 2026, written to the Chief Judge following the commencement of impeachment proceedings, asking him to set up a seven-member panel to probe the governor and his deputy.
In a formal response to the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, Justice Amadi stated that he was unable to comply with the request due to a subsisting court order restraining him from taking such action.
In the letter, dated 20 January 2026, the Chief Judge acknowledged receipt of the Assembly’s resolution but explained that an interim injunction issued by the State High Court, Oyigbo Division, bars him from “receiving, forwarding, considering or acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other communication” relating to the constitution of an impeachment panel.
The injunction was granted on 16 January by Justice F. A. Fiberesima after Governor Fubara and his deputy filed separate suits challenging the impeachment process. They alleged improper service of the notice of impeachment and sought to maintain the status quo pending determination of the matter. The order is valid for seven days, with a substantive hearing scheduled for 23 January 2026.
Justice Amadi stressed that, as a judicial officer, he is bound to uphold the rule of law and comply with court directives. He also cited a 2007 precedent in Kwara State, where a chief judge was later criticised for disregarding a similar restraining order.
The letter further disclosed that the Speaker and the Rivers State House of Assembly have already filed an appeal against the High Court’s injunction, a development noted by the Chief Judge in his correspondence.
Despite the heightened public interest in the matter, Speaker Amaewhule has yet to issue an official statement, and the letter has not been formally released through government channels, leaving the dispute to continue largely within the courts.
Traditional rulers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders are closely monitoring developments, as the judiciary’s role has become central to resolving the political impasse.
The outcome of the forthcoming court hearing could either pave the way for the impeachment process to proceed or bring it to an indefinite halt, with significant implications for Rivers State’s political landscape in the months ahead.
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