Citing subsisting restraining Court Order, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has turned down the request by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly to constitute a 7-man judicial panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had passed a resolution for the impeachment of Governor Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.
But, the Rivers State Chief Judge said that his office was served with two interim orders on January 16, arising from suits filed by Fubara and Odu, which expressly and clearly barred him from considering or acting on any resolution, request or document connected to impeachment proceedings against the governor and the deputy governor from the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Justice Amadi noted that the doctrine of lis pendens required all parties to await the outcome of the appeal before any further action could be taken.
The Chief Judge noted that the lawmakers had already filed an appeal against the interim orders at the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, adding that the notices of appeal were also served on his office on January 19 and 20.
He therefore urged the lawmakers to be magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.
The legal lacuna has brought a fresh bottleneck in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.
Justice Amadi’s resolve significantly highlights the importance of adhering to the rule of law and respecting court orders as well as underscores the need for politicians to seek judicial resolution to their disputes rather than resorting to impeachment proceedings.
For now, the situation remains fluid, as political event watchers and other stakeholders await the outcome of the appeal.
