…each camp is immersed in subdued celebration
Loyalists from both camps embroiled in the impeachment proceedings against Rivers State Governor Siminalai Fubara and his deputy Ngozi Odu have appealed to Justice Florence A. of the State High Court. Fibersima celebrated Friday's decision.
On Friday January 23, 2026, the impeachment deal suffered a setback as Justice Fiberesima indefinitely adjourned the suit filed by Fubara and Odu challenging the impeachment processes initiated against them by Speaker Martin Amewule and 25 other members of the state assembly.
Media aide to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Amaewule's other media aide, Lere Olayinka, took to Twitter and Facebook soon after the judgment to describe it as a victory for the 26 state legislators who were reportedly loyal to the FCT minister.
Olayinka posted a message on his X handle which was variously repeated by his camp. It read, “The Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo has refused to grant a permanent injunction preventing the Chief Justice of Rivers State from receiving correspondence from the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“The Court acknowledged that the case is already before the High Court, and adjourned it indefinitely pending the outcome of the case in the Court of Appeal,” the post said.
Meanwhile, supporters of Siminalai Fubara have equally hailed Justice Fiberesima's judgment as a victory for the Rivers State governor and his deputy Ngozi Odu.
A source said that 'the Fubara camp is happy that the proceedings did not escalate but continued at a high level.'
Although people from different sections of the Rivers community have expressed mixed reactions to the verdict, most of those we spoke to expressed relief that the impeachment process has come to a halt.
When the matter resumed in court on Friday, the lead counsel to Martin Chike-Amaewule and 27 other members of the assembly, SI Amen, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court about the appeal lodged and orally applied for the court to stay further hearing pending determination of the appeal.
Counsel to the main claimants, Paul Orikoro, SAN, and Lawrence Oko-Jaja, who is counsel to the 28 to 30 defendants in court, namely Oko-Jumbo, Sokari Goodboy and Orubinimigha Timothy, did not oppose the oral applications.
Ruling on the application, the presiding judge, Justice Florence Fibersima, adjourned sine die after evidence on two separate appeals, she said a decision would enable the appeal court to determine the case before it.
It would be recalled that the Rivers State High Court in Oyibo Local Government Area situated in Port Harcourt had issued an interim order of injunction against the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and 32 others including the Clerk of the House and the Chief Justice of Rivers State.
The order restrained the Speaker and 27 other members of the Assembly from forwarding articles of impeachment or other documents or communications to the Chief Justice for the sole purpose of constituting a panel to investigate alleged gross misconduct.
The order restrained the state Chief Justice, Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, from receiving, considering and or acting upon any request, resolution, article of impeachment or other document or communication for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate alleged allegations of misconduct against the governor and his deputy for seven days.
