The political crisis in Rivers State took a fresh turn on Friday as the Oyigbo High Court sitting in Port Harcourt adjourned indefinitely the suit filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma-Odu, challenging the impeachment moves initiated against them by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The court, presided over by Justice Florence Fiberesima, announced that the matter would be adjourned sine die, meaning without a fixed date. The decision followed confirmation that two separate appeals related to the case had already been entered at the Court of Appeal.
Justice Fiberesima explained that the adjournment was necessary to allow the appellate court to first determine the pending appeals before the High Court could take any further action on the case. She stated that once an appeal has been properly entered, the trial court must exercise caution and restraint.
According to the judge, continuing with proceedings while the appeals are pending could lead to a conflict of jurisdiction and amount to judicial impropriety. She stressed that the High Court must respect the authority of the Court of Appeal, which now has control over the matter.
Governor Fubara and his deputy had approached the Oyigbo High Court to challenge what they described as unconstitutional and politically motivated impeachment proceedings initiated by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 26 other lawmakers loyal to him. The Clerk of the House was also listed as a defendant in the suit.
The governor’s legal team argued that the impeachment process did not follow due process and was aimed at removing him from office for political reasons. They asked the court to stop the House of Assembly and other relevant officials from taking any further steps in the impeachment process.
The indefinite adjournment of the case has effectively placed the impeachment litigation on hold, prolonging the political standoff between the executive arm of government and a faction of the legislature aligned with the immediate past governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Rivers State has been embroiled in a prolonged political crisis since the fallout between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is widely regarded as a strong political force in the state. The disagreement has divided the House of Assembly, with lawmakers taking sides in the power struggle.
The Assembly crisis earlier led to the defection of several lawmakers and the emergence of rival factions, deepening tensions within the state’s political structure. This division has affected governance and raised concerns among residents and observers about stability in the oil-rich state.
Before the latest adjournment, the same Oyigbo High Court had granted an interim order of injunction restraining the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 32 others from continuing with the impeachment process against the governor and his deputy.
Those restrained by the court included the Clerk of the House and the Chief Judge of Rivers State. The interim order barred them from taking further steps that could advance the impeachment proceedings.
In that earlier ruling, Justice Fiberesima specifically restrained the Speaker and the lawmakers from forwarding any articles of impeachment, resolutions, or other documents to the Chief Judge of Rivers State. Such documents would ordinarily be required to set up a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy.
The court also restrained the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, from receiving, considering, or acting on any request or communication related to the impeachment from the lawmakers listed as defendants in the suit.
Justice Fiberesima ruled that all parties must maintain the status quo for a period of seven days, pending further hearing of the matter. The order was seen as a temporary relief for Governor Fubara and his deputy at the time.
However, the entry of appeals by parties involved in the case changed the legal situation. The judge noted that once appeals are entered, the lower court is limited in what it can do until the higher court makes its decision.
The impeachment process itself is a constitutional procedure that allows state lawmakers to remove a governor or deputy governor from office for alleged gross misconduct. However, it must strictly follow the steps outlined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Rivers situation has attracted national attention due to the influence of key political figures involved and the importance of the state to Nigeria’s economy. Rivers State is one of the country’s major oil-producing states and plays a strategic role in national politics.
Civil society groups and concerned residents have continued to call for restraint among political actors, urging them to put the interests of the state above personal or political battles. Some have warned that prolonged instability could affect development and governance.
As it stands, the indefinite adjournment means the High Court will not take further action on the impeachment challenge until the Court of Appeal rules on the pending appeals. Until then, the legal battle remains unresolved.
