BREAKING: Impeachment process stalls as Rivers CJ declines to constitute panel

The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Chibuzor Simeon Amadi, has declined to constitute a seven-member panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct leveled against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy.

Justice Amadi said his decision was based on existing court orders restraining him from taking any step to set up such a panel.

According to him, the judiciary is bound by the rule of law and must obey subsisting judicial pronouncements, irrespective of the political pressure or public expectations surrounding the matter.

The Chief Judge noted that the court orders expressly prohibit the constitution of an investigative panel on the allegations until the legal issues before the courts are fully determined.

He stressed that any action taken in defiance of valid court orders would amount to a violation of judicial ethics and the constitution.

The decision effectively stalls efforts by the Rivers State House of Assembly to initiate an impeachment process against the governor and his deputy, pending the resolution of the ongoing legal battles.

The political crisis in Rivers State has continued to deepen in recent months, with tensions between the executive and legislative arms fueling legal confrontations and power struggles.

Observers say the Chief Judge’s position reinforces the judiciary’s role as an impartial arbiter and underscores the importance of due process in resolving political disputes.