…As Court Stops Fubara’s Impeachment Process The political situation in Rivers State escalated on Friday when the State House of Assembly reconvened and passed a resolution requesting that the Chief Judge establish a panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu regarding allegations of gross misconduct, thereby advancing the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
…As Court Stops Fubara’s Impeachment Process
The political situation in Rivers State escalated on Friday when the State House of Assembly reconvened and passed a resolution requesting that the Chief Judge establish a panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu regarding allegations of gross misconduct, thereby advancing the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
During Friday’s plenary session, the House of Assembly resolved—by a majority of 25 votes—to refer the issue to the chief judge for further investigation of the state governor and deputy governor, pursuant to Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The session, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, instructed the clerk to notify the chief judge to form a seven-member panel to investigate the claims, following a unanimous vote to proceed with the impeachment of Governor Siminilari Fubara.
Before the commencement of the plenary, members of the Assembly addressed the press, where they emphasised that the impeachment proceedings would continue because the Governor had infringed on the Nigerian Constitution.
According to the lawmakers, allegations against the governor and his deputy 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.
This development initiated the subsequent phase of proceedings to impeach the state governor and deputy governor. This process began on January 8, 2026, when all 26 assembly members aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) collectively issued an impeachment notice to Mr Fubara and his deputy.
In the notice of impeachment, which was the second attempt from the house, the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Major Jack, levelled some allegations against Fubara, some of which include the demolition of the Assembly Complex, extra-budgetary spending, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and a refusal to obey the Supreme Court on the financial autonomy of the House.
Other allegations were that he approached another group of people for budgetary approval instead of the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly and seized salaries and allowances accruing to the RSHA and the Rivers State Assembly Service Commission.
He further alleged that the peace deals facilitated by President Tinubu were breached on several occasions, including agreements reached during reconciliation meetings held in December 2023 and another in 2025.
Jack insisted that the continued failure of the governor and his deputy to honour the terms of the peace accord necessitated the impeachment process currently before the Assembly.
Four Legislators Reverse Their Stance on Fubara Impeachment
When the impeachment notification was allegedly delivered to Governor Fubara and his deputy. Notably, four members of the State House of Assembly, who had previously withdrawn their support for the process and called for a peaceful resolution to the political crisis, have now reversed their position and expressed renewed support for the proceedings.
The four lawmakers—Barile Nwakoh of Khana Constituency I and Emilia Amadi of Obio/Akpor Constituency II, the Minority Leader and member representing Omuma Constituency, Sylvanus Nwankwo, and Peter Abbey of Degema Constituency—called for dialogue and reconciliation, calling for peace and stability instead of the political confrontation.
On Friday, while broadcasting live outside the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, the legislators changed their position, having previously urged for a peaceful solution to the state’s political crisis just days before.
According to the four lawmakers, the governor and the deputy governor did not show remorse in responding to the allegation and seeking peaceful reconciliation, stating that, rather, they have continued to attack the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Rivers Court Issues Temporary Order Halting Impeachment Proceedings
On Friday, a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt issued an interim order preventing the State House of Assembly members, Speaker Martin Amaewhule, and two others, including the Clerk, from sending correspondence to the chief judge.
In an ex parte ruling concerning two separate lawsuits initiated by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu, Presiding Judge Justice F.A. Fiberesima granted permission for the claimants/applicants to serve both the interim order and originating processes in Suit Nos. OYHC/7CS/2026 and OYHC/6/CS/2026, along with all subsequent documentation intended for the first to thirty-first defendants, at the entrance of the Rivers State Assembly quarters.
The judge prohibited Justice Simeon Amadi, Chief Judge of Rivers State, from handling any documents or requests related to forming a panel to investigate alleged misconduct by the governor and deputy governor for seven days.
The interim order has also been asked to be served to the the Chief Judge of the state, through any staff of the judiciary at the Chief Judge’s chambers within the High Court premises, as Justice Fiberesima thereafter adjourned the case to January 23, 2026 for hearing of the motion.
