THE Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Chibuzor Simeon Amadi, has formally declined a request to establish a 7-member judicial panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Prof Ngozi Ordu. His decision is anchored on existing court orders that expressly restrain him from taking such action.

Justice Amadi made his position known in a letter dated 20 January 2026, which was addressed to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Martins Amaewhule. In the correspondence, the chief judge explained that his hands were tied by the operation of the law, as there were binding judicial orders currently in force prohibiting him from receiving, processing, or acting on any request to constitute an investigative panel concerning the governor and his deputy.

According to the letter, the restraining orders were duly served on the Office of the Chief Judge on January 16, 2026. Since they have not been vacated, discharged, or set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction, Justice Amadi stated that he was legally obligated to comply with them. He emphasised that disobedience to subsisting court orders would amount to a violation of constitutional principles and undermine the rule of law.

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The chief judge stressed that the doctrine of constitutionalism required every authority and public office holder to act strictly within the confines of the law. He noted that personal opinions about the correctness or otherwise of a court order were immaterial, as long as the order remained valid and enforceable. In his view, respect for judicial authority was fundamental to the stability of democratic governance and the administration of justice.

Justice Amadi further reinforced his position by drawing attention to relevant judicial precedents. He recalled a similar incident that occurred in 2007 involving the chief judge of Kwara State. In that case, the chief judge proceeded to set up an investigative panel despite the existence of a restraining court order. The action was later strongly criticised by the courts, and the panel’s work was nullified by the Court of Appeal. That precedent, Justice Amadi noted, served as a clear warning against disregarding court directives.

In addition, the chief judge observed that the legal issues surrounding the allegations against Governor Fubara and his deputy were already the subject of ongoing litigation. He disclosed that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly has filed an appeal challenging the restraining orders at the Court of Appeal. This, according to him, further complicated the matter and reinforced the need for caution until the appellate court delivers its decision.

Justice Amadi made it clear that his refusal to constitute the panel should not be misconstrued as an endorsement or rejection of the allegations themselves. Rather, his decision was based solely on adherence to the law and respect for judicial processes. He maintained that acting otherwise would expose his office to legal sanctions and erode public confidence in the judiciary.

The development adds another layer to the political and legal tensions in Rivers State, as the dispute between the executive arm and the legislature continues to play out in the courts. For now, the fate of the proposed investigative panel remains suspended, pending the resolution of the court orders and the outcome of the appeal before the Court of Appeal.