The political landscape in Rivers State has been significantly impacted by ongoing impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu. This contentious situation saw a dramatic turn when the Rivers State House of Assembly confirmed that the Chief Judge of the state had received and acknowledged official correspondence conveying notices of alleged gross misconduct against the duo. However, a recent interim injunction issued by a Rivers State High Court has temporarily halted these proceedings, adding another layer of complexity to the power struggle.

The House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, through its Chairman Hon. Dr. Enemi Alabo George, issued a statement confirming that all relevant documents, including the notices containing the allegations against the governor and his deputy, were attached to the correspondence sent to the Chief Judge. This action followed a plenary session where lawmakers vowed to proceed with the impeachment process initiated earlier, citing Section 188(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which empowers the assembly to investigate such allegations against a sitting governor and deputy governor.

Adding a political dimension to the legal battle, political strategist Baba Yusuf accused the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, of orchestrating the removal of Governor Fubara to install a loyalist. Speaking on Arise Television, Yusuf alleged that Wike's "recalcitrant position" persists despite multiple interventions by President Bola Tinubu, some of which were purportedly in Wike's favor. Yusuf suggested that the ultimate goal is for Speaker Martin Amaewhule of the Rivers State Assembly to emerge as acting governor, as provided by Chapter six, Section 191 of the 1999 Constitution, should Fubara and Odu be impeached. President Tinubu's previous efforts to mediate, including reportedly suspending democratic institutions in Rivers for six months, have apparently not resolved the underlying conflict.

The High Court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice F. A. Fiberesima, intervened by granting motions ex parte in two separate suits filed by Governor Fubara (Suit No. OYHC/7/CS/2026) and Mrs. Odu (Suit No. OYHC/6/CS/2026). The interim injunction specifically restrains the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and 32 others, including the clerk of the House, from sending any further correspondence to the Chief Judge, Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi. Crucially, the Chief Judge is also restrained from receiving, forwarding, considering, or acting on any request, resolution, or articles of impeachment from the lawmakers for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the alleged misconduct. This injunction is valid for a period of seven days. The court also granted leave for the interim orders and originating processes to be served by pasting them at the gate of the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters and on the Chief Judge through any staff member at his chambers. The matter has been adjourned to January 23 for a hearing on the motion on notice.

This marks the third attempt by lawmakers to impeach Governor Fubara since he assumed office in 2023. The impeachment move on January 8 came shortly after Minister Nyesom Wike publicly accused Governor Fubara of reneging on the terms of a peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu in June of the previous year. Initially, a faction of the All Progressives Congress aligned with Fubara rejected the impeachment plot, advocating for a political resolution. This appeared to yield results when four lawmakers reportedly withdrew their support. Speculation that the impeachment move might be dropped further intensified when the assembly failed to reconvene on January 15. However, on January 16, the lawmakers announced their decision to proceed as planned, with the four previously dissenting members reaffirming their support for the impeachment process, setting the stage for the current legal and political showdown.