The Digest:
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon C. Amadi, has formally declined a request from the State House of Assembly to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate impeachment allegations against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma-Odu. In a letter to Speaker Martin Amaewhule, Justice Amadi cited two active interim injunctions from a Rivers State High Court, dated January 16, 2026, which explicitly bar him from receiving or acting on any such request. He also noted the Assembly has filed an appeal against these orders. Citing the legal doctrine of lis pendens and judicial precedent, he stated his hands are "legally fettered" from proceeding under Section 188(5) of the Constitution.
Key Points:
- This action effectively pauses the constitutional impeachment timeline, transferring the immediate conflict from the legislative to the judicial sphere.
- It reinforces the judiciary's authority to check other branches of government through injunctions, prioritizing legal process over political expediency.
- Governor Fubara and his deputy gain crucial procedural respite, as the legal battles may significantly delay or alter the impeachment trajectory.
- The situation highlights a systemic vulnerability where impeachment processes can be stalled by court interventions, testing constitutional boundaries.
- It sets a immediate precedent for how similar political-legal clashes between state executives and legislatures may be handled.
The next phase of this standoff is now contingent on the rulings of the Court of Appeal and the High Court, which will determine whether the impeachment process can proceed.
Sources: Channels, Vanguard
