The political crisis in Rivers State took a dramatic turn yesterday as a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt issued an interim order restraining the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, from receiving or acting on any directive from the Rivers State House of Assembly regarding moves to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu.
The State House of Assembly had earlier in the day when it resumed its plenary unanimously resolved to go ahead with the impeachment process by sending a letter to the Chief Judge to constitute a 7-man panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Siminialayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Nma Odu. All the 25 lawmakers present at the proceedings voted by show of hands in favour continuing with the impeachment process including the four members who had earlier opted to seek political solution to the crisis instead of impeachment.
The house in the letter signed by its Speaker, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, said the move was in pursuant to Section 188, subsection 5, of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
The letter read: “I write to request that you appoint a panel of seven (7) persons to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State pursuant to section 188(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
However, following two separate suits filed by Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor, Odu,, Justice F.A. Fiberesima of the High Court of Oyibo Local Government Area, in a ruling restrained the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, alongside thirty-two others including the Clerk of the House and the Chief Judge of the state from “receiving, forwarding, considering, and/or acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment, or other communication” aimed at constituting a panel to investigate allegations of misconduct against the governor and his deputy. The interim injunction is to last for seven days. Justice Fiberesima held that the interim measure was necessary to preserve the status quo pending further hearing.
The interim order stated that: “The Chief Judge of Rivers State is hereby restrained from receiving or acting upon any impeachment-related communication from the Assembly for the purpose of constituting an investigative panel against the Governor and his Deputy.”
The court further granted leave to the claimants to serve the interim order and originating processes on the first to thirty-one defendants at the gate of the Rivers State Assembly quarters. It also directed that the Chief Judge, listed as the 32nd defendant, be served through any staff of the judiciary at his chambers within the High Court premises.
Governor Fubara and his deputy had approached the court seeking protection against what they described as “unconstitutional attempts” by the Assembly to remove them from office. Their counsel argued that the Assembly’s actions were politically motivated and posed a threat to governance in the state. Justice Fiberesima then adjourned the matter to January 23, 2026, for hearing of the substantive motion.
