The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has clarified why he declined to form a seven-member panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, amid the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
In a letter to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, Justice Amadi said that court injunctions obtained by the governor and his deputy prevented him from taking any action on the request.
He stressed the importance of adhering to the rule of law and following constitutional processes.
The House of Assembly had on January 16 invoked Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution, asking the Chief Judge to constitute a panel to probe alleged misconduct by the governor and deputy.
However, Fubara and Odu had separately secured interim court orders from the Oyibo branch of the State High Court in Port Harcourt restraining the Chief Judge from acting on any such request.
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Justice Amadi, in his letter dated January 20, stated:
“My office is also in receipt of two separate court orders of interim injunction issued on 16th January, 2026 in two suits… restraining the 32nd Defendant, i.e., the Hon. Chief Judge of Rivers State, from receiving, forwarding, considering or howsoever acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other documents from the Assembly for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the purported allegations of misconduct.”
He further explained that under the doctrine of lis pendens, all parties must await the resolution of appeals before taking action.
“Given the above scenario, our legal jurisprudence enjoins the parties to obey the order of interim injunction until it is set aside or the suit is finally determined…
“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 in this instance,” he added.
Justice Amadi’s decision highlights the judiciary’s role in ensuring constitutional compliance and reinforces that political pressures cannot override court orders.