Ogona Anita
Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned indefinitely the suit filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma-Odu, challenging the impeachment process initiated against them by the Speaker and 26 other members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The presiding judge, Justice Florence Fiberesima of the Oyigbo High Court, took the decision on Friday, 23 January, 2026, following applications by counsel to the defendants that the court should stay proceedings pending the determination of appeals already entered before the appellate court.
When the matter came up for hearing, lead counsel to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Martin Chike-Amaewhule, and 27 other lawmakers, S.I. Amen, SAN, informed the court that an appeal had been duly entered and orally applied for a halt in further proceedings until the appeal is determined.
The application was not opposed by counsel to the claimants, Paul Orikoro, SAN, nor by Lawrence Oko-Jaja, counsel representing the 28th to 30th defendants, namely Oko Jumbo, Sokari Goodboy, and Orubienimigha Timothy.
In her ruling, Justice Fiberesima adjourned the matter sine die after confirming that two separate appeals had been entered. She explained that the decision would allow the appellate court to first determine the issues placed before it.
Meanwhile, a Rivers State High Court of Oyigbo Local Government Area, sitting in Port Harcourt had earlier granted an interim injunction restraining the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Chike-Amaewhule, and 32 others, including the Clerk of the House, from forwarding any articles of impeachment or related documents to the Chief Judge of the state.
The court also restrained the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, from receiving or acting on any impeachment-related communication for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the alleged misconduct against the governor and his deputy for a period of seven days.
