Prosper Okoye
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Simeon Amadi, has refused to set up a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, citing existing court injunctions that prevent him from acting.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had requested the establishment of a seven-member panel to probe allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu. The move comes after the state parliament launched impeachment proceedings against the two officials earlier this month.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a letter dated 20 January to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, Justice Amadi said his hands were “fettered” by two interim court orders served on 16 January. The orders restrain him from “receiving, forwarding, considering or acting on any impeachment-related request or panel constitution.”
He added that the Speaker has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt and that, under the legal principle of lis pendens, all parties must await the outcome before further action can be taken.
“In view of the foregoing, I am legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in the instant matter,” Justice Amadi wrote.
The impeachment proceedings were initiated on 8 January, with lawmakers accusing the governor of budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill, unauthorised expenditure of public funds, and withholding statutory allocations to the legislature.
Rivers Minority Leader, Another Lawmaker Back Out of Fubara Impeachment
Fubara’s Disposition Not Justification To Continue Emergency Rule In Rivers – HURIWA
Rivers Group Demands Probe of Wike’s Eight-Year Tenure, Urges Fubara to Set Up Judicial Panel
On 16 January, the assembly passed a motion urging the chief judge to investigate the allegations. Justice Amadi’s refusal underscores the judiciary’s role in upholding the rule of law amid ongoing political disputes in the state.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
