The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has declined to constitute a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara, citing subsisting court orders restraining him from taking further steps on the matter.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had earlier requested the Chief Judge to set up a seven-member panel to probe the governor and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, over allegations bordering on gross misconduct.
However, in a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, Justice Amadi said he was legally prevented from acting on the request due to interim injunctions issued by the court.
According to the Chief Judge, his office was served with two interim orders on January 16, arising from suits filed by Fubara and Odu.
He explained that the orders expressly barred him from considering or acting on any resolution, request or document connected to impeachment proceedings against the governor and the deputy governor.
Justice Amadi also noted that Amaewhule had already filed an appeal against the interim orders at the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, adding that the notices of appeal were served on his office on January 19 and 20.
He said the doctrine of lis pendens required all parties to await the outcome of the appeal before any further action could be taken.
“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders,” the Chief Judge stated.
He added that he was therefore “legally disabled” from performing his duty under Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) regarding the request.
The Chief Judge urged the lawmakers to “be magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.”