A Rivers State High Court in Oyigbo has adjourned indefinitely the legal challenge brought by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Odu against their impeachment process.
At Friday’s sitting, counsel for the defendants, S.I. Amen, informed the court that an appeal had been filed on the matter and asked for the case to be put on hold pending the outcome.
The request was not opposed by Paul Erokoro, lead counsel for the claimants, or Lawrence Oko-Jaja, counsel for the 28th, 29th and 30th defendants.
Justice Florence Fiberesima subsequently adjourned the case indefinitely, noting that the appellate court’s ruling would shape the direction of the substantive suit.
The judge also suspended the ex parte order issued on January 16, which had restrained the Chief Judge of Rivers State from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy.
Impeachment proceedings against Fubara and Odu began on January 8 when the Rivers State House of Assembly read allegations of gross misconduct, supported by 26 lawmakers.
On January 16, the Assembly passed a resolution asking Chief Judge Simeon Amadi to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate the allegations, which include budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill, unauthorised spending, and withholding of statutory allocations to the legislature.
Following an ex parte application by the governor and his deputy, the court issued an interim order preventing the Chief Judge from acting on any impeachment notice.
In a letter dated January 20, 2026, Chief Judge Amadi informed Speaker Martin Amaewhule that he would not constitute the panel, citing the interim orders served on his office, which barred him from participating in the impeachment process.
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