Port Harcourt — In a dramatic twist that has reshaped Rivers State’s tense political chessboard, the Rivers State High Court has issued a restraining order barring the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Chibuzor Simeon Amadi, from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The ruling followed an ex-parte application filed by the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, effectively freezing all impeachment moves reportedly initiated by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Clerk, and 29 lawmakers.
According to court papers, the order restrains the Chief Judge from entertaining, acknowledging, or processing any impeachment communication pending the determination of the substantive suit. The court’s intervention, legal observers say, is aimed at preserving the status quo and preventing irreversible actions while the matter is fully heard.
The decision landed like a thunderclap across Port Harcourt, halting what had rapidly evolved into a high-stakes confrontation between the executive and the legislature. With the gavel down, the impeachment train has been forced into a holding bay—at least for now.
Sources close to the proceedings describe the ruling as a procedural firewall, underscoring the judiciary’s role as the arbiter in moments of political brinkmanship. For Governor Fubara, the order provides breathing space; for the Assembly, it redraws the legal boundaries of the contest.
As Rivers State watches closely, all eyes now turn to the next court date, where arguments will be joined in full. Until then, the message from the bench is unmistakable: no impeachment papers cross this line.
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