BREAKING: Rivers chief judge declines to set up panel to probe Fubara

Simeon Amadi, chief judge of Rivers, has declined to constitute a judicial panel to probe Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, citing a court order. 

The Rivers state house of assembly had asked Amadi to set up a seven-member panel to investigate Fubara and Ngozi Odu, his deputy, over allegations bordering on gross misconduct.

In a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to Martin Amaewhule, speaker of the Rivers house of assembly, Amadi said his hands were “fettered” by court injunctions.

Amadi said his office had been served with two interim orders on January 16, arising from suits filed by Fubara and Odu.

The chief judge said the interim orders expressly restrained him from considering or acting on any request, resolution or document relating to impeachment proceedings against the governor or deputy governor.

Amadi said Amaewhule has already lodged an appeal against the interim orders at the court of appeal in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers, noting that the notices of appeal were served on his office on January 19 and 20.

“By the doctrine of ‘lis pendens’, parties and the court have to await the outcome of the appeal,” the letter reads.

“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders. I am therefore legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in the instant.”

The chief judge asked the Rivers state assembly to be “magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter”.

BACKGROUND

On January 8, the Rivers state parliament commenced impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy.

The lawmakers launched the process after Major Jack, leader of the assembly, read gross misconduct charges against Fubara, endorsed by 26 members of the house.

On January 16, the lawmakers voted in favour of a motion requesting the chief judge to probe the gross misconduct allegations against Fubara and his deputy.