The escalating political crisis in Rivers State took a decisive legal turn on Thursday as the Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Simeon C. Amadi, declined a request by the Rivers State House of Assembly to constitute a seven-member investigative panel to probe allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu.
Justice Amadi hinged his decision on subsisting interim court injunctions and pending appeals, a move that has effectively put the Assembly’s impeachment process on hold for now.
In a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Chief Judge acknowledged receipt of two letters from the Assembly, both dated January 16, 2026, seeking the constitution of an investigative panel pursuant to Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
However, he explained that ongoing judicial proceedings directly linked to the impeachment process had constrained him from acting on the request. Justice Amadi disclosed that his office had been served with interim injunctions issued on January 16, 2026, arising from two separate suits challenging the actions of the House of Assembly.
The suits include Suit No. OYHC/6/CS/2026, filed by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, against the Speaker and 32 others, and Suit No. OYHC/7/CS/2026, instituted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara against the Speaker and 32 others.
According to the Chief Judge, the interim injunctions expressly restrain him from receiving, considering or acting on any request or communication from members of the Assembly for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the alleged misconduct against the governor and his deputy for a period of seven days.
Justice Amadi stressed that obedience to court orders is fundamental to constitutional democracy, regardless of personal views about such orders. He said constitutionalism and the rule of law remain the bedrock of democracy, adding that all persons and authorities are bound to obey subsisting orders of courts of competent jurisdiction.
To reinforce his position, the Chief Judge cited judicial precedent, referring to the case of Hon. Dele Abiodun v. The Hon. Chief Judge of Kwara State & 3 Ors. (2007), in which a chief judge was faulted for constituting a panel in defiance of a subsisting court order. He quoted a passage from the judgment likening such conduct to “a chief priest and custodian of an oracle turning round to desecrate the oracle,” underscoring the duty of judicial officers to uphold the law.
Justice Amadi further noted that the Rivers State House of Assembly has filed appeals against the interim injunctions at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, with notices of appeal served on January 19 and 20, 2026.
“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeals against the said orders,” he stated, adding that he is legally disabled at this point from exercising his duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution.
He concluded by expressing hope that the Speaker and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly would appreciate the legal position of the matter.
The decision marks a pivotal moment in Rivers State’s deepening political standoff, temporarily halting the impeachment process while reaffirming the judiciary’s role in safeguarding constitutional order and due process.
