Rivers Chief Judge Refuses To set Up Panel To Probe Fubara

Rivers’ Chief Judge has refused to set up a panel to probe Fubara.

NewsRain Nigeria reports that the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has refused to constitute a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, citing subsisting court orders restraining him from taking further action.

The Rivers State House of Assembly had requested the Chief Judge to set up a seven-member panel to probe the governor and his deputy over allegations of gross misconduct.

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In a letter dated January 20, 2026, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, and which surfaced online on Thursday, Justice Amadi acknowledged receipt of the Assembly’s resolution. However, he stated that he was legally restrained from acting on the request due to interim orders issued by a High Court.

According to the letter, the Chief Judge said his office was served with two interim injunctions on January 16, arising from separate suits instituted by Governor Fubara and his deputy. The suits challenged the impeachment process, particularly the alleged improper service of the notice of allegations.

The Guardian reported that Prof. Odu had approached the court to contest claims that she had been duly served with the impeachment notice. Her action followed the Assembly’s January 8 sitting, when impeachment proceedings were said to have commenced, and notices of allegations against the governor and his deputy surfaced on social media, sparking widespread controversy.

The impeachment process was initiated after Major Jack, the House leader, read allegations of gross misconduct against the governor, reportedly endorsed by 26 lawmakers. On January 16, the House adopted a motion requesting the Chief Judge to constitute a panel to investigate the allegations against the governor and his deputy.

However, legal practitioners have faulted the mode of service of the impeachment notices, insisting that such notices must be personally served, except where a court grants approval for substituted service after being satisfied that personal service is impracticable.

A legal practitioner, Living Jamala, said failure to properly serve impeachment notices renders subsequent steps procedurally defective.

Subsequently, a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Florence Fiberesima, issued an interim order restraining the Chief Judge from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy.

The court specifically barred him from “receiving, forwarding, considering, or acting on any request, resolution, or articles of impeachment” from members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In his letter, Justice Amadi said the interim orders expressly restrained him from considering or acting on any request or document relating to the impeachment proceedings.

He further disclosed that the Speaker had lodged an appeal against the interim orders at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, noting 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,” the letter stated. “In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and an 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 matter.”

The Chief Judge urged the House of Assembly to be “magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.”

Meanwhile, the Speaker and other Assembly members have remained silent on the development.

According to reports, lawmakers have been restricted from speaking publicly on the issue amid the prevailing political tension in the state, while the Assembly also refused to grantan audience to the peace committee led by the Pan Niger Delta Forum, top security chiefs, stakeholders, and the elders’ forum.