Simeon Amadi, chief judge of Rivers, has declined to constitute a judicial panel to probe Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, citing a court order.
As reported on Thursday, January 22, by The Cable, the Rivers state house of assembly had asked Amadi to set up a seven-member panel to investigate Fubara and Prof. Ngozi Odu, his deputy, over allegations bordering on gross misconduct.
The Punch also noted the development.
In a letter dated Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and addressed to Martins Amaewhule, speaker of the Rivers house of assembly, Amadi said his hands were “fettered” by court injunctions.
Amadi stated that his office had been served with two interim orders on January 16, arising from suits filed by Fubara and Odu.
The chief judge noted that the interim orders expressly restrained him from considering or acting on any request, resolution or document relating to impeachment proceedings against the governor or deputy governor.
Amadi said Amaewhule has already lodged an appeal against the interim orders at the court of appeal in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, noting that the notices of appeal were served on his office on January 19 and 20.
The letter reads: “By the doctrine of ‘lis pendens’, parties and the court have to await the outcome of the appeal.
“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and 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 the instant.”
The chief judge asked the Rivers state assembly to be “magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter”.