'I no fit set up panel to sack Govnor Fubara' - Rivers Chief Judge

Di impeachment saga for Rivers State, south-south Nigeria, don take anoda angle as di Chief Judge of di state, Justice Simeon Amadi, don tell di House of Assembly say e no go fit set up di investigative panel wey dem bin request from am to investigate Govnor Siminalayi Fubara and im Deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu.

Di Chief Judge Justice Simeon Amadi for letter e write to speaker of di Assembly acknowledge say e receive di Rivers Assembly resolution to set up a seven-man impeachment panel against Fubara and im Deputy but tok say e no fit do anytin becos of a subsisting High Court order wey stop am from taking any further action.

For inside di four-page letter wey e send to di Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, on January 20, 2026, di Chief Judge tok say di court orders and many legal cases wey still dey ground don tie im hand, so e no go fit set up di panel.

Justice Amadi explain say di Govnor and im Deputy bin carry di mata go court and dem don already get some interim injunctions since January 16, 2026, wey warn di CJ make e no receive or even look any paper wey concern dia impeachment.

E say as di oga patapata for di judiciary side of govment for Rivers, im must respect wetin di law tok and obey court orders, weda pipo like di order or not.

Beyond di subsisting injunctions, Justice Amadi note say di House of Assembly sef don file appeal against di interim orders for di Court of Appeal.

E come invoke di legal doctrine of ‘lis pendens’ and stress say once mata dey bifor a higher court, all parties dey bound to maintain di status quo pending di determination of di mata.

Emphasising di supremacy of di rule of law, di Chief Judge say all pesins and authorities dey obligated to obey valid court orders until dem dey set aside.

E reinforce dis position by citing a judicial precedent wey include Hon. Dele Abiodun v. The Hon. Chief Judge of Kwara State & Ors (2007), wia a Chief Judge bin dey faulted for proceeding wit di constitution of one investigative panel in spite of a restraining court order.

E say im "hands dey legally fettered" and so e currently dey unable to exercise im constitutional duty under Section 188(5) of di Constitution.

Remember say on Friday 16 January, 2026, Speaker of di Rivers State House write to di Chief Judge of Rivers State to set up a seven man investigative panel wey go investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Govnor Fubara and im Deputy.

Dat same day, di Govnor approach one High Court wey give an interim order of injunction against di Speaker of di House of Assembly and 32 odas including di clerk of di House and Chief Judge of Rivers State.

Dis development don effectively stop di impeachment process initiated by di Rivers State House of Assembly as di mata don enta judicial arena, pending di outcome of both di appeal for di Court of Appeal and di substantive suits bifor di High Court.