Impeachment: Rivers state Chief Judge decline to set up panel to investigate Gov Fubara

The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has declined to constitute a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara, citing an existing court order restraining such action.

Recall that last week, members of the state House of Assembly had requested the chief judge to set up a seven-member panel to probe Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, over alleged gross misconducts including spending unbudgeted funds from the state coffers.

Justice Amadi’s position was conveyed in a formal letter addressed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, acknowledging receipt of two separate requests from the legislature dated January 16, 2026.

According to the Chief Judge, the Assembly’s requests were accompanied by extensive documentation, including copies of the notice of allegations of gross misconduct, the Rivers State Impeachment Panel (Conduct of Investigations) Procedure, 2025, and relevant newspaper publications.

However, Justice Amadi disclosed that his office had earlier been served with two interim injunctions issued by the Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo on January 16, 2026.

The suits—OYHC/6/CS/2026 filed by the Deputy Governor and OYHC/7/CS/2026 filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara—listed the Speaker and 32 others as defendants, with the Chief Judge named as the 32nd defendant.

The interim orders expressly restrain the Chief Judge from “receiving, forwarding, considering or howsoever acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other communication” from the House of Assembly in relation to the impeachment process for a period of seven days. Certified true copies of the court orders were attached to the correspondence.