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Features
Court issues interim injunction halting impeachment proceedings against Fubara
Written By: Chisom Onyibe
17 Jan 2026 05:47 AM
Port Harcourt, Rivers – In a significant development amid the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, a High Court sitting in Oyigbo (Oyibo) Local Government Area, Port Harcourt, has granted an interim order of injunction restraining the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, the Clerk of the House, and 32 others, including the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi from proceeding with impeachment actions against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, January 16, 2026, by Justice Florence A. Fiberesima, followed ex parte motions in two separate suits filed by the governor and his deputy, marked OYHC/7/CS/2026 and OYHC/6/CS/2026.
The court specifically barred the defendants from taking any further steps to advance the impeachment process, that has to do with sending, forwarding, or acting on any correspondence, resolution, or documents related to the impeachment to the Chief Judge for the purpose of constituting an investigative panel.
The interim injunction is set to remain in force for seven days, providing temporary relief to the executive arm while the substantive issues are heard.
Justice Fiberesima also granted leave for substituted service of the order and originating processes on the first to 31st defendants by pasting them at the gate of the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters in Port Harcourt.
Service on the Chief Judge (32nd defendant) is to be effected through any staff at the Chief Judge’s Chambers in the High Court premises.
The matter has been adjourned to January 23, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice, where the court will determine whether to extend, modify, or vacate the interim orders.
This judicial intervention comes just hours after the Rivers State House of Assembly, on the same day, unanimously voted to request the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara and Odu.
The accusations reportedly include budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill, unauthorised expenditure of public funds, and withholding of statutory allocations to the legislature.
Despite the court order, some reports indicate that the Assembly has claimed the Chief Judge has already acknowledged receipt of the impeachment notice, signaling potential defiance or procedural disputes ahead.
The latest escalation marks the third attempt to impeach Governor Fubara since he assumed office in 2023, amid a protracted rift with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike (now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory), which has repeatedly disrupted governance in the oil-rich state.
Previous attempts in 2023 and 2025 were halted through presidential interventions by President Bola Tinubu, including a temporary state of emergency.
The renewed crisis intensified in early January 2026 following the collapse of a peace deal brokered by Tinubu, with lawmakers accusing Fubara of constitutional violations and ungratefulness, while supporters of the governor view the moves as politically motivated.
Political observers note that this court order shifts the battleground from the legislative chambers to the courtroom, potentially buying time for dialogue or further appeals. However, with both sides digging in, the political tension in Rivers State shows no immediate signs of abating, raising concerns about governance, stability, and democratic processes in the Niger Delta region.
Further developments are expected as the January 23 hearing approaches. All parties have been urged to respect the rule of law while stakeholders call for calm to prevent escalation.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, January 16, 2026, by Justice Florence A. Fiberesima, followed ex parte motions in two separate suits filed by the governor and his deputy, marked OYHC/7/CS/2026 and OYHC/6/CS/2026.
The court specifically barred the defendants from taking any further steps to advance the impeachment process, that has to do with sending, forwarding, or acting on any correspondence, resolution, or documents related to the impeachment to the Chief Judge for the purpose of constituting an investigative panel.
The interim injunction is set to remain in force for seven days, providing temporary relief to the executive arm while the substantive issues are heard.
Justice Fiberesima also granted leave for substituted service of the order and originating processes on the first to 31st defendants by pasting them at the gate of the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters in Port Harcourt.
Service on the Chief Judge (32nd defendant) is to be effected through any staff at the Chief Judge’s Chambers in the High Court premises.
The matter has been adjourned to January 23, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice, where the court will determine whether to extend, modify, or vacate the interim orders.
This judicial intervention comes just hours after the Rivers State House of Assembly, on the same day, unanimously voted to request the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara and Odu.
The accusations reportedly include budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill, unauthorised expenditure of public funds, and withholding of statutory allocations to the legislature.
Despite the court order, some reports indicate that the Assembly has claimed the Chief Judge has already acknowledged receipt of the impeachment notice, signaling potential defiance or procedural disputes ahead.
The latest escalation marks the third attempt to impeach Governor Fubara since he assumed office in 2023, amid a protracted rift with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike (now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory), which has repeatedly disrupted governance in the oil-rich state.
Previous attempts in 2023 and 2025 were halted through presidential interventions by President Bola Tinubu, including a temporary state of emergency.
The renewed crisis intensified in early January 2026 following the collapse of a peace deal brokered by Tinubu, with lawmakers accusing Fubara of constitutional violations and ungratefulness, while supporters of the governor view the moves as politically motivated.
Political observers note that this court order shifts the battleground from the legislative chambers to the courtroom, potentially buying time for dialogue or further appeals. However, with both sides digging in, the political tension in Rivers State shows no immediate signs of abating, raising concerns about governance, stability, and democratic processes in the Niger Delta region.
Further developments are expected as the January 23 hearing approaches. All parties have been urged to respect the rule of law while stakeholders call for calm to prevent escalation.
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