By Obinna Uballa
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the Chief Judge of the state, Simeon Amadi, to obey a subsisting court order restraining him from taking any steps towards the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The party’s call follows an interim injunction issued by a Rivers State High Court barring the chief judge from receiving, considering or acting on any resolution of the State House of Assembly relating to the impeachment of the governor and the deputy governor, Ngozi Odu.
Despite the injunction, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, during Friday’s plenary, requested the chief judge to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Fubara and Odu.
The lawmakers accused the governor of contempt for the legislature, alleging that he had ignored several appeals aimed at resolving the lingering crisis between the executive and the assembly.
However, earlier on the same day, a Rivers State High Court, presided over by Justice F. A. Fiberesima, issued an interim order restraining the speaker, the clerk of the assembly and the chief judge from taking further steps in the impeachment process.
The injunction, arising from suits marked OYHC/7/CS/2026 and related filings, specifically barred the chief judge from receiving or acting on any impeachment-related documents for a period of seven days.
The court adjourned the matter to January 23, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice.
Reacting to the development, the Rivers APC, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday by its publicity secretary, Darlington Nwauju, described the assembly’s move as a “choreographed legislative coup d’état” that poses a serious threat to the party’s interests in the state.
Nwauju, who is aligned with former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said the actions of the lawmakers amounted to an unnecessary overreach, despite their public claims of loyalty to the APC and President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, the impeachment drive risks embarrassing the ruling party and undermining its prospects in Rivers State.
“We have painstakingly analysed the issues leading up to the latest step taken by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to proceed with the impeachment process,” the statement read.
“Regrettably, we note that honourable members who trumpeted loyalty to our party and Mr President have now given themselves to a choreographed legislative coup d’état against the collective interest, growth and development of our party in the state.”
He warned that the development could deepen the crisis within the party and weaken its structure ahead of future electoral contests.
Nwauju also called on the APC national leadership to urgently intervene by activating the party’s internal conflict-resolution mechanisms, as provided under Article 21(b)(iii) of the APC’s 2022 constitution.
“This unfortunate path chosen by the legislative arm therefore serves as a dangerous footnote to the health and survival of the APC in Rivers State,” he added.
