Some senior lawyers have backed the decision of the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, to decline setting up a seven-man panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct, saying the action is in adherence to the rule of law.

The lawyers stated that until the court orders restraining the Chief Judge are vacated, all parties involved in the dispute must refrain from taking any action on the impeachment process.

Justice Amadi, in a letter dated January 20, 2026, addressed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, cited two court orders barring him from receiving, forwarding, or considering any requests to form such a panel.

The orders were issued on January 16, 2026, by a High Court sitting in Oyigbo Local Government Area, presided over by Justice F.A. Fiberesima, following suits filed by Governor Fubara and his deputy challenging the impeachment proceedings.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Wahab Shittu, stated that the impeachment process has been effectively paused by the Chief Judge’s decision.

“We all know that impeachment is primarily a political process. However, if a court with proper jurisdiction issues an order stopping the Chief Judge from proceeding, even if the judgment was based on a proceeding conducted without jurisdiction, it remains valid until a higher court rules otherwise,” Shittu said.

Another senior lawyer, Kayode Oluseye, agreed with Shittu, noting that the Chief Judge’s role is pivotal in determining the fate of the impeachment proceedings.

“The Rivers State Chief Judge’s decision not to establish the impeachment panel solely because of existing court injunctions is appropriate, as it has effectively paused the impeachment process,” Oluseye said.

He maintained: “Without the panel’s investigation and report, the House of Assembly cannot proceed with the removal vote, thus halting the process until legal matters are resolved.”

Mr. Abdul Balogun, SAN, hailed the Chief Judge’s courage in declining to set up the panel.

“I commend the CJ for standing by the rule of law. He knows his action will be nullified if he goes ahead, so the honourable thing to do is to wait for the outcome of the court case against the planned impeachment,” Balogun said.

Abuja-based constitutional lawyer, Barrister Julius Okopa, said the State Assembly should tread with caution to avoid throwing the state into crisis.

“The Rivers CJ did not only do the right thing, but he also did the honourable thing. When a matter is before the law court, the right thing to do is to suspend action pending the determination of the case one way or the other,” Okopa said.

“You cannot overreach the court, no matter who you are. You must allow the rule of law to prevail. The implication of all these is that parties have to wait till the case is determined.”

Another lawyer, Barrister Okejemo Dan, said the implication is a temporary halt or delay in the constitutional impeachment proceedings, as the Chief Judge cannot act under a restraining order.

“He is bound by the court action. He can’t do anything, particularly, for the fact that he has been made a party in the suit. He has to await the outcome of the suit,” Dan said.

In a leaked five-page letter dated January 20, 2026, Justice Amadi explained that he was listed as the 32nd defendant in the suits filed by Governor Fubara and his deputy challenging the impeachment process.

He maintained that constitutionalism and the rule of law took precedence over political pressure and that compliance with the House of Assembly’s request would amount to disobedience of a valid court order.

The Chief Judge stated that he would only act on the legislature’s request if the restraining orders were vacated, although he acknowledged that the House of Assembly had already filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal.

Meanwhile, fresh details have emerged according to thesouthernexaminer.com from Abuja indicating that the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, has allegedly placed the removal of the state’s Chief Judge at the centre of negotiations aimed at ending the deepening political crisis in Rivers State.

Multiple sources familiar with the talks revealed that Wike has allegedly made the sack of Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi a non-negotiable precondition for halting impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy.

According to presidency sources, Wike had earlier submitted two demands as the price for restoring political calm, including assurances of automatic return tickets for the 27 lawmakers aligned with him and guarantees regarding his continued political relevance ahead of the 2027 elections.

That list, insiders say, has now been expanded to include a presidential directive compelling Governor Fubara to remove Justice Amadi as Chief Judge and replace him with another nominee reportedly acceptable to Wike.

In addition, Wike’s camp is allegedly demanding a public declaration by Governor Fubara that he will not seek re-election in 2027, a move sources attribute to fears over the governor’s growing political popularity.

Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, an indigene of Elibrada in Emohua Local Government Area, was appointed Chief Judge by Wike and sworn in on May 16, 2021, succeeding Justice Adama Lamikranra.

Rivers State has been locked in near-constant political turmoil for almost three years, driven largely by an unresolved power struggle between Wike and his successor, Governor Fubara, over control of the state’s political machinery and resources.

The tension escalated sharply about three weeks ago when the House of Assembly, for the third time in three years, initiated impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, plunging the oil-producing state into renewed uncertainty.

On Friday, the Oyigbo High Court sitting in Port Harcourt is expected to commence hearing in the substantive suit filed by Governor Fubara and Professor Odu.

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