The Chief Judge of Rivers state, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, has been restrained from receiving or acting on any correspondence from the Rivers State House of Assembly connected to ongoing moves to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu, by a State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
The interim order was issued by the High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, following two separate suits instituted by Governor Fubara and his deputy.
The suits are marked Suit No. OYHC/7/CS/2026 and Suit No. OYHC/6/CS/2026.
In the ex parte applications brought before the court, the governor and his deputy challenged steps already taken by the Rivers State House of Assembly in furtherance of an impeachment process against them.
Delivering his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice F. A. Fiberesima, granted interim orders of injunction restraining the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Martin Amaewhule, and 32 other defendants, including the Clerk of the House and the Chief Judge of Rivers State, from taking any further steps in connection with the impeachment proceedings.
However, the court ordered that Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, named as the 32nd defendant in the suits, must not receive, forward, consider or in any manner act on any request, resolution, notice, articles of impeachment or other forms of communication emanating from the 1st to the 27th and 31st defendants.
The order relates to any attempt to constitute a panel to investigate alleged acts of misconduct against Governor Fubara and his deputy.
The court held that the interim injunction would remain in force for a period of seven days.
Justice Fiberesima granted the orders after hearing arguments from counsel to the claimants/applicants, led by D. I. Thoma, SAN, alongside A. A. Orukarta, who urged the court to intervene to prevent an imminent and unlawful actions capable of rendering the substantive suit nugatory.
In addition to the restraining orders, the court granted leave to the claimants/applicants to serve the interim orders, originating processes and other accompanying court documents on the 1st to the 31st defendants by substituted means.
The judge directed that service be effected by pasting the court processes at the gate of the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters, opposite the former Niger Delta Development Commission headquarters along Aba Road, Port Harcourt.
The court further ordered that the interim orders and originating processes be served on the 32nd defendant, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, through any staff member of the Rivers State Judiciary at the Chief Judge’s Chambers within the High Court premises.
After making the orders, Justice Fiberesima adjourned the matter to January 23, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice.
The orders as follows: “That an Interim Injunction is hereby made restraining the 32 Defendant ie. The Hor Chief lodge of Rivers State from receiving, forwarding, considering and/or howsoever acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other documents communication from the 1st, 27th and 31st” Defendants for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the purported allegations of misconduct against the Claimant/Applicant for seven days.
“That leave is also granted to the Claimant Applicant to serve this interim order, the Originating processes and all other subsequent processes in file suit meant for the 1 and 31 defendants, to wit, by pasting the said processes at the gate of the Rivers State House of Assenstily Quarters, Opposite former NDDC Headquarters, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers state and to serve same for the 32 Defendant through any staff of the Rivers State Judiciary at The Chief Judge’s Chambers, High Court.”
