Dare Babalola
Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, has turned down the State Assembly’s request to establish a judicial panel to probe Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, citing existing court orders that bar him from doing so.
The House of Assembly had earlier passed a resolution directing the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy as part of ongoing impeachment proceedings.
However, in a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, Justice Amadi said he was legally barred from acting on the request due to existing court injunctions.
He explained that his office was served with two interim court orders on January 16, 2026, following suits filed by both Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Odu.
According to the Chief Judge, the orders expressly restrained him from considering or acting on any resolution, request or document connected to impeachment proceedings against either of the two officials.
Justice Amadi also noted that the Speaker had already challenged the court orders at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, adding that notices of appeal were served on his office on January 19 and 20.
“By the doctrine of ‘lis pendens’, parties and the court have to await the outcome of the appeal,” Amadi said.
He further stated that the existence of the injunctions and the pending appeal had effectively tied his hands.
“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 the instant,” he said.
The Chief Judge appealed to the lawmakers to recognise the legal constraints surrounding the matter.
He urged the Assembly to be “magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.”
