Rivers High Court Halts Impeachment Move Against Governor Fubara, Deputy Odu
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Port Harcourt has issued an interim order preventing the Chief Judge of Rivers State from accepting an impeachment notice directed at Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had asked the Chief Judge of the state to constitute a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The lawmakers requested on Friday through a unanimous vote, insisting that the impeachment process would proceed despite what they described as attempts by the governor to intimidate and blackmail the legislature.
In a statement by the Speaker of the House, Martins Chike Amaewhule, and forwarded to the Chief Judge on January 16, the assembly formally called for the establishment of the investigative panel in line with constitutional provisions.
In the twist of event, the Rivers State High Court, in a document cited by Lawyard on Friday, restrained the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi from receiving, forwarding, considering or acting on any request resolution, articles of impeachment or other documents or communications for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the purported allegations of misconduct against Governor Fubara and his deputy Ngozi Odu for seven days.
The presiding judge, Justice F.A. Fiberesima, in a ruling on a motion ex parte in two separate suits filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, also granted leave to the claimants/applicants to serve the interim order and the originating processes in Suit No. OYHC/7CS/2026 and Suit No. OYHC/6/CS/2026, as well as all subsequent processes meant for the first to 31st defendants at the gate of the Rivers State Assembly quarters.
