Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has explained why he is unable to act on the impeachment process initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
The Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly had written to the Chief Judge requesting that he constitutes a seven-man investigative panel to probe allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewule, the Chief Judge confirmed receiving two separate requests from the lawmakers; one relating to the Governor and the other concerning the Deputy Governor.
However, the Chief Judge explained that he is legally restrained from acting on the requests due to subsisting interim injunctions issued by the High Court on January 16, 2026.
According to the letter, the court orders arose from two separate suits filed by Governor Fubara and his Deputy, and they expressly prohibit the Chief Judge from receiving, processing, considering, or acting on any impeachment-related communication from the House of Assembly pending the determination of the cases.
He disclosed that appeals have already been filed at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, challenging the interim orders.
The Chief Judge further disclosed that he is listed as the 32nd defendant in the suits and that the interim orders were duly served on his office on the same day they were granted.
Emphasising the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law, the Chief Judge stressed that all authorities are bound to obey valid court orders until they are set aside.
He cited a Court of Appeal judgment which strongly criticised a Chief Judge who ignored a subsisting court order during an impeachment process.
Based on these legal constraints, the Chief Judge declined to constitute the investigative panel, noting that doing so would amount to a violation of existing court orders and established judicial principles.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
