A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has issued an interim order preventing the Chief Judge of Rivers State from receiving or taking any action on impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The ruling followed moves by the Rivers State House of Assembly, which had requested the Chief Judge to set up a panel to probe allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the governor and his deputy.
The interim order was granted by Justice Florence Fiberesima after two separate suits were filed by Fubara and Odu, with suit numbers OYHC/7/CS/2026 and OYHC/6/CS/2026.
In her ruling, Justice Fiberesima restrained the Chief Judge from receiving, transmitting, considering, or acting on any impeachment notice, resolution, or related communication from members of the House of Assembly.
“That an Interim Injunction is hereby made restraining the 32th Defendant i.e. The Hon Chief Judge of Rivers State from receiving, forwarding, considering and/or howsoever acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other documents or communication from the 1–27th and 31st Defendants for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the purported allegations of misconduct against the Claimant/Applicant for seven days,” the order read.
The court also directed that the interim order and other court documents may be served on the defendants by pasting them at the entrance of the Rivers State House of Assembly and by serving staff at the Chief Judge’s chambers.
The matters were adjourned to January 23, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive motion.
The suits named the Speaker and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly as defendants, along with the Clerk of the Assembly and the Chief Judge of the state.
