Rivers crisis: Court adjourns Fubara’s suit challenging impeachment process indefinitely

A High Court sitting in Oyigbo, Rivers State, has adjourned indefinitely the suits filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, challenging the impeachment proceedings initiated against them by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The legal battle is part of the wider political crisis rocking the state, as tensions continue to escalate between the governor and lawmakers.

During Friday’s court session, counsel to the defendants, S.I. Amen, informed the court that an appeal had already been filed on the same matter. He explained that the issues raised in the current case are now before a higher court for determination.

Paul Erokoro, lead counsel to the claimants, and Lawrence Oko-Jaja, counsel to the 28th, 29th and 30th defendants, did not oppose the oral application.

Consequently, Florence Fiberesima, presiding judge, adjourned indefinitely pending the outcome of an appeal.

She noted that the outcome of the appeal will help the court determine the substantive suit before it.

The judge also suspended the ex parte order she granted on January 16, which restrained the chief judge of the state from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice against Fubara and his deputy.

On January 8, the Rivers state parliament commenced impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy.

The lawmakers began the process after Major Jack, leader of the assembly, read allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara, endorsed by 26 members of the house.

On January 16, the lawmakers voted in favour of a motion requesting the chief judge to probe the gross misconduct allegations against Fubara and his deputy.

The allegations include budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill to the assembly, unauthorised expenditure of public funds, withholding of statutory allocations to the legislature, and other acts deemed to constitute gross misconduct.

Following an ex parte application by the governor and his deputy, Fiberesima, a state high court judge, issued an interim order restraining the chief judge from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice against Fubara and Odu.

The Rivers state house of assembly had asked Simeon Amadi, to set up a seven-member panel to investigate Fubara and Odu, his deputy, over allegations bordering on gross misconduct.

But in a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to Martin Amaewhule, speaker of the Rivers house of assembly, Amadi declined to constitute a judicial panel to probe the governor and Odu.

Amadi said his office had been served with two interim orders on January 16, arising from suits filed by Fubara and Odu.

The chief judge said 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.