Why I Declined to Set Up Panel to Probe Fubara — Rivers Chief Judge Explains

Why I Declined to Set Up Panel to Probe Fubara — Rivers Chief Judge Explains

The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has given detailed reasons for declining the request by the Rivers State House of Assembly to constitute a panel to probe Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, deepening the state’s lingering political crisis.

Justice Amadi said his decision was based strictly on the rule of law and not political considerations. In a formal response to the Assembly, the chief judge disclosed that there are subsisting court injunctions restraining him from taking any action connected to the impeachment process against the governor and his deputy.

According to the CJ, the injunctions were issued by a Rivers State High Court following separate suits filed by Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, effectively barring him from receiving, processing, or acting on any impeachment-related request from the lawmakers.

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He explained that since the Rivers Assembly has already appealed the injunctions at the Court of Appeal, the legal principle of lis pendens applies, meaning all parties must maintain the status quo until the appellate court delivers a ruling.

Justice Amadi stressed that acting contrary to existing court orders would amount to judicial misconduct and undermine constitutional democracy. He urged all political actors to respect court processes and allow the judiciary to resolve the dispute without pressure or intimidation.

The Assembly had earlier written to the chief judge, citing Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution, requesting the constitution of a seven-member panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy. However, the CJ’s refusal has effectively stalled the impeachment process, shifting the battle fully to the courts.

Meanwhile, reactions have continued to trail the development, with civil society groups and opposition parties describing the impeachment move as politically motivated and a threat to democratic stability in the state. Others have urged restraint, warning that prolonged institutional conflict could affect governance and public confidence in Rivers State.

The development is the latest twist in the ongoing Rivers political crisis, which has pitched the executive against the legislature and drawn national attention to the state’s fragile power balance.

Why I Declined to Set Up Panel to Probe Fubara — Rivers Chief Judge Explains