Despite Court Order, Rivers Assembly Says Chief Judge Acknowledged Impeachment Notice Against Fubara

The Rivers State House of Assembly has maintained that the Chief Judge of the state, Simeon Amadi, has formally received and acknowledged the impeachment notice against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, even as an interim court order sought to halt action on the process.

Lawmakers began impeachment proceedings last week after reading gross misconduct charges against Fubara and Odu, signed by a majority of members of the legislature.

The allegations include budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill, unauthorised expenditure of public funds, and withholding statutory allocations to the Assembly—actions the lawmakers say may amount to gross misconduct.

On Friday, the Assembly voted in favour of a motion to ask the Chief Judge to investigate those allegations, signalling its intent to escalate the matter beyond internal deliberations.

However, in response to separate suits filed by the governor and his deputy, a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt issued an interim order restraining the Chief Judge from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Florence Fiberesima, barred the judge from accepting, forwarding, considering, or acting on correspondence related to the Assembly’s impeachment process.

Despite the court’s directive, the Assembly’s spokesman, Enemi George, stated on Friday evening that the impeachment notice and all relevant documents—including the Notices of Allegations of Gross Misconduct—had been delivered to and acknowledged by the Chief Judge.

“It is important to inform the good people of Rivers State that Mr Speaker has already complied with the constitution, and letters sent by him to the Chief Judge have been received and acknowledged,” the statement read.

George said the Assembly acted in accordance with Section 188 of the Constitution, which outlines the process for investigating allegations of gross misconduct against a governor and deputy, and urged residents to remain calm and not be misled by attempts to undermine democratic processes.