Rivers Impeachment Suit Put On Hold As Court Adjourns Indefinitely

Rivers Impeachment Suit Put On Hold As Court Adjourns Indefinitely

In a dramatic turn of events in Rivers State, Nigeria, the impeachment proceedings initiated against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, have been halted as the Oyigbo High Court adjourned the matter indefinitely.

The decision, delivered by Justice Florence Fiberesima, came after the court was informed that two separate appeals had been filed in relation to the case. The adjournment was deemed necessary to allow the Court of Appeal to first determine the issues before it, effectively suspending further hearings at the High Court level.

At the resumed hearing, counsel representing the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, along with 27 lawmakers, applied orally for a stay of proceedings, citing the pending appeals.

Notably, this application was not opposed by the legal representatives of the claimants, including Governor Fubara’s counsel, Paul Orikoro (SAN), nor by Lawrence Oko-Jaja (SAN), who represented other defendants in the matter. Consequently, Justice Fiberesima adjourned the case sine die, leaving the future of the impeachment process uncertain until the appellate court delivers its ruling.

This development follows an earlier interim injunction granted by the same court, which restrained the Speaker, several lawmakers, the Clerk of the House, and the Chief Judge of Rivers State from taking further steps toward the impeachment.

The injunction specifically barred the forwarding or consideration of impeachment notices or related documents for the purpose of constituting an investigative panel over allegations of gross misconduct.

Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon C. Amadi, has formally declined a request by the Assembly to constitute a seven-man investigative panel to probe allegations against Governor Fubara and his deputy.

In a letter addressed to Speaker Amaewhule, Justice Amadi cited subsisting court orders and the doctrine of lis pendens, which requires parties and the court to await the outcome of the appeal before taking further action. He emphasized that his hands were legally tied, given the interim injunctions and pending appeals, and therefore he could not exercise his constitutional duties under Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution in the matter.

The Assembly’s request had been accompanied by extensive documentation, including notices of allegations of gross misconduct and procedural guidelines for impeachment investigations.

However, Justice Amadi noted that his office had already been served with interim injunctions from the Rivers State High Court restraining him from acting on any impeachment-related communications for a period of seven days. These injunctions were filed separately by both Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Odu, listing the Speaker and 32 others as defendants, with the Chief Judge himself named among them.

The indefinite adjournment of the impeachment suit underscores the deepening political crisis in Rivers State, where tensions between the executive and legislative arms have escalated in recent months.

For now, the impeachment process remains in limbo, awaiting the verdict of the Court of Appeal, which will determine the next phase of this high-stakes political confrontation.