PORT HARCOURT — The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has explained that subsisting court orders prevented him from constituting a seven-man panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
Justice Amadi disclosed this in a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, in response to the lawmakers’ request for the constitution of a probe panel.
The House of Assembly had, in a letter dated January 16, formally asked the Chief Judge to set up a panel in line with Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), following the commencement of impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy.
However, the Chief Judge said his office received two interim injunctions from the Oyibo Division of the Rivers State High Court on the same day, restraining him from receiving, considering or acting on any impeachment-related request from the Assembly.
According to him, the orders arose from two separate suits filed by Governor Fubara and Prof. Odu — Suit No. OYHC/7/CS/2026 and Suit No. OYHC/6/CS/2026 respectively — in which he is listed as the 32nd defendant.
Justice Amadi stated that the interim orders expressly barred him for seven days from taking any action on communications from the Assembly relating to the constitution of a probe panel, pending further proceedings.
He also disclosed that the Assembly had appealed the interim orders at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, and that he had been served with notices of appeal on January 19 and 20.
The Chief Judge said the doctrine of lis pendens requires all parties to await the outcome of the appeal, stressing that constitutionalism and respect for the rule of law are fundamental to democratic governance.
He maintained that until the interim orders are set aside or the suits are finally determined, he remains legally constrained from carrying out his constitutional duties regarding the impeachment process.
“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders. I am therefore legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution,” he said.
