By Abiola Olawale
Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, has formally declined the request by the State House of Assembly to constitute a seven-man investigative panel against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
The refusal, communicated in a letter dated January 20, 2026, and made public on Thursday, January 22, marks a major setback for the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly in their ongoing bid to oust the state’s top executives.
The Chief Judge’s decision stems from a subsisting interim injunction issued by a Rivers State High Court on January 16, 2026.
The court order explicitly barred the Office of the Chief Judge from receiving or forwarding impeachment-related resolutions, considering any request to form an investigative panel, and acting on any communication from the 27 lawmakers involved in the impeachment process.
Justice Amadi emphasized that his “hands are legally tied” by these court orders. He noted that as long as the injunctions remain in force, any attempt to proceed with the Assembly’s request would constitute a direct assault on the rule of law and the doctrine of lis pendens (pending litigation).
The Chief Judge emphasized that constitutionalism and the rule of law require all authorities to obey subsisting court orders, irrespective of their perception of the orders’ validity.
He referenced legal precedents, noting that in a similar case in 2007, the Chief Judge of Kwara State was condemned for ignoring a restraining court order when setting up an investigative panel, a decision later voided by the Court of Appeal.
Justice Amadi further observed that the Speaker has already filed an appeal against the court orders at the Court of Appeal, adding another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the allegations.
