Chief Judge Rejects Assembly Request to Probe Fubara, Deputy

The legal standoff surrounding allegations of gross misconduct against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Ngozi Ordu, has taken a new turn following the refusal of the Chief Judge of the state to set up an investigative panel.

Justice Chibuzor Simeon Amadi based his decision on subsisting court orders that restrict him from receiving or acting on any request to constitute a seven-member panel. The orders, served on his office on January 16, 2026, remain in force, effectively halting the process initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a letter dated January 20, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, the Chief Judge maintained that constitutional governance demands strict obedience to valid court orders, regardless of any reservations about their merit.

Justice Amadi reinforced his position by citing judicial precedent, recalling that a similar action taken by the Chief Judge of Kwara State in 2007 was later invalidated by the Court of Appeal after a restraining order was ignored.

He further observed that the Speaker has since approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the existing orders, a move that now places the matter firmly within the appellate court’s jurisdiction.