He noted that although the House of Assembly had appealed the interim orders, established legal principles required full compliance with the injunctions until they were set aside.
By Ife Osemedua
365Daily – The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has said that subsisting court injunctions prevented him from constituting a seven-member panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, following impeachment proceedings initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Justice Amadi disclosed this in a letter to the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, explaining that his decision was guided strictly by the rule of law and existing judicial orders.
The House of Assembly had on January 16 invoked Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution and formally requested the Chief Judge to set up a probe panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy.
However, the Chief Judge said both Fubara and Odu approached the High Court sitting in Oyibo, where they separately obtained interim injunctions restraining him from receiving, considering or acting on any resolution or request from the Assembly relating to the impeachment process.
In his response dated January 20, Justice Amadi confirmed receipt of the Assembly’s request alongside two court orders issued on January 16, 2026.
“My office is also in receipt of two separate court orders of interim injunction issued on 16th January, 2026, restraining the 32nd Defendant, that is, the Honourable Chief Judge of Rivers State, from receiving, forwarding, considering or howsoever acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other documents from the Assembly for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the purported allegations of misconduct,” he stated.
He noted that although the House of Assembly had appealed the interim orders, established legal principles required full compliance with the injunctions until they were set aside or the cases finally determined.
Citing the doctrine of lis pendens, Justice Amadi said all parties were bound to maintain the status quo to avoid prejudicing matters already before the courts.
“Given the above scenario, our legal jurisprudence enjoins the parties to obey the order of interim injunction until it is set aside or the suit is finally determined,” he said.
“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and an 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 this instance.”
The Chief Judge’s explanation effectively stalls further action on the impeachment process, reinforcing the judiciary’s role in ensuring that constitutional procedures are followed and court orders respected despite political pressure.