By Danjuma Amodu | January 22, 2026
Rivers State’s Chief Judge, Justice Chibuzor Simeon Amadi, has refused to constitute the seven‑member judicial panel requested by the State House of Assembly to investigate Governor Sim Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Ordu for alleged gross misconduct.
In a letter dated 20 January 2026 to Speaker Martins Amaewhule, Justice Amadi explained that two interim injunctions, served on his office on 16 January, expressly forbid him from “receiving, forwarding, or considering any request” to set up such a panel. He stressed that constitutionalism and the rule of law compel all authorities to obey subsisting court orders, regardless of personal opinion, and noted that the Speaker has already lodged an appeal against those orders, adding further legal complexity. Consequently, his hands are “fettered” and he is legally disabled from exercising his duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution at this stage.
The Rivers State House of Assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Ordu earlier in January, alleging gross misconduct. On 16 January, the Assembly formally asked the Chief Judge to constitute a seven‑member investigative panel pursuant to Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution. However, on the same day, the governor and his deputy secured two separate interim injunctions from the Rivers State High Court (Oyibo branch), restraining the Chief Judge from acting on any such request.
The injunctions remain in force, and the Assembly’s appeal against them is pending before the Court of Appeal. This legal standoff has intensified political tension in Rivers State, with observers closely watching how the judiciary’s adherence to court orders will shape the impeachment process.
