The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Simeon Amadi, has declined to constitute a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy over alleged gross misconduct, saying he is restrained from doing so by existing court orders.
The request to set up a seven-member panel was made by the Rivers State House of Assembly, which commenced impeachment proceedings against Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu and asked the chief judge to investigate the allegations.
However, in a letter dated January 20, 2026, addressed to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, Justice Amadi said his hands are “fettered” by two interim court injunctions served on his office on January 16, restraining him from receiving, forwarding, considering or acting on any impeachment-related request or panel constitution.
“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 noted that the Speaker has already filed an appeal against the interim orders at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, and that under the doctrine of lis pendens, all parties must await the outcome of that appeal before further action can be taken.
Justice Amadi stressed that obeying subsisting court orders is essential to upholding constitutionalism and the rule of law, explaining that he is therefore legally unable to act on the assembly’s request at this time.
Recall that on January 8, the Rivers state parliament commenced impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy.
The lawmakers launched the process after Major Jack, leader of the assembly, read gross misconduct charges against Fubara, endorsed by 26 members of the house.
On January 16, the lawmakers voted in favour of a motion requesting the chief judge to probe the gross misconduct allegations against Fubara and his deputy.
The allegations include budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill to the assembly, unauthorised expenditure of public funds, withholding of statutory allocations to the legislature, and other acts deemed to constitute gross misconduct.
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