By Desire Emmanuel
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, on Thursday, January 22, wrote the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, refusing to constitute a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, citing a court order.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had requested that Amadi set up a seven-member panel to probe Fubara and Odu over allegations of gross misconduct.
However, in a letter dated January 20 and addressed to the Speaker of the House, the chief judge cited two court orders barring him from receiving, forwarding, or considering any requests to form such a panel.
Justice Amadi stated that the orders were served on his office on January 16, 2026 and remain in force.
The chief judge emphasised that the rule of law requires all authorities to obey subsisting court orders, irrespective of their perception of the orders’ validity.
He noted that in a similar case in 2007, the Chief Judge of Kwara State was condemned for ignoring a restraining court order when setting up an investigative panel, a decision later voided by the Court of Appeal.
Justice Amadi further observed that the Speaker has already filed an appeal against the court orders at the Court of Appeal, adding another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the allegations.
