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Rivers CJ Says “My Hand Is Fettered”; Halts Impeachment Process Against Fubara, Odu

Port Harcourt — The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, has declined the Rivers State House of Assembly’s request to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate alleged gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.

In a letter dated January 20, 2026 and addressed to Speaker Rt. Hon. Martin Amaehwule, Justice Amadi said his hands were “fet-tered” by subsisting court injunctions that prevent him from acting on any impeachment-related communication.

The Assembly had passed a resolution on January 16 under Sections 188(4) and 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), seeking the appointment of a judicial panel to probe alleged misconduct by the governor and deputy governor.

However, both Fubara and Odu filed separate suits at a Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo Local Government Area, resulting in interim orders restraining the Chief Judge from receiving or acting on impeachment notices or resolutions. The court’s orders, which were served on January 16, also applied to the Speaker, lawmakers, and the Clerk of the Assembly.

Justice Amadi noted that the Assembly appealed the interim injunctions at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, and said that under the doctrine of lis pendens, all parties must await the outcome of the appeal before further action.

The Chief Judge emphasized that constitutionalism and the rule of law required compliance with court orders, irrespective of differing political views. As a result, the impeachment process has been effectively stalled, with future action hinging on the judicial resolution of the cases.

Lawmakers have reiterated their intention to pursue impeachment but must first navigate the legal constraints imposed by the ongoing court proceedings.