Impeachment: All Eyes On Rivers Chief Judge As Courts Resume Sitting Monday

Nigerians interested in the political developments in Rivers State will be watching the state’s chief judge, Hon. Justice Chibuzor Amadi, with heightened interest as judges in the state resume work today after the Christmas break.

The chief judge is expected to play a pivotal role in the ongoing political crisis rocking the state and the disagreement between the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the State House of Assembly lawmakers.

With the service of the alleged misconduct notice on the governor and his deputy, Justice Chibuzor Amadi will be waiting to receive the report of the State House of Assembly whenever the governor and his deputy respond to the allegations levelled against them.

Already, the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi, has announced that the judges in the state will resume work tomorrow.

This has caused many to nurse the fear that a panel of inquiry could be set up this week to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the governor and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.

The Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi, in a statement issued on Friday night, announced that judges of the Court will resume sitting on Monday after the Christmas vacation.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly has denied reports on social media that it had withdrawn the impeachment proceedings it initiated against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.

Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Dr Enemi Alabo George, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, said the House had already forwarded the notices of impeachment to Fubara and Odu.

The statement reads: “The Rivers State House of Assembly is pleased to inform the good people of Rivers State that the impeachment process commenced by the House on Thursday, 8th January 2026, is fully on course in line with relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

“The two notices of allegations of gross misconduct brought pursuant to Section 188 of the Constitution against the Governor and Deputy have been forwarded to them by the Speaker of the House while we await their responses.

“As we all know, it is the House of Assembly that is empowered by the Constitution to stand by the people and stop infractions on the Constitution by the governor, deputy governor or any other officer of the Rivers State Government; so, we remain duty-bound in this regard.

“We are aware that certain persons and media platforms are at it again to misinform the public, particularly to the effect that the process has been halted or discontinued. Some are trending false narratives to cause disaffection between the House and well-meaning Nigerians. Therefore, with the leave of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhue, I call on all and sundry to disregard their antics, as their actions have already failed.

“We remain committed to our constitutional duties and would not be dissuaded by cheap blackmail or threats from those who do not mean well for our country’s nascent democracy.”

Presidency watching with keen interest

Meanwhile, the Presidency is said to be watching developments in Rivers State with keen interest.

A reliable presidential source said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is interested in peace, but has yet to intervene in the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state.

‘’President Tinubu is certainly interested and he is following developments in Rivers State,’’ the source said. “The governor is not in France as speculated. That I can tell you.’’

It was also gathered that he had not met with Fubara, as has been speculated in some sections of the media.

Wike keeps mum over Fubara-lawmakers’ face-off

Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, seems to be silent over the ongoing face-off between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The House had, during its plenary last Thursday, served notices of impeachment on Fubara and his deputy, Professor Odu.

The House on Friday announced that it had also forwarded the notices to the governor and his deputy, even though Fubara, who is currently out of the country, is yet to respond to the allegations of misconduct levelled against him.

LEADERSHIP Sunday observed that Wike, who is currently on a ‘thank you’ tour of the 23 local government areas of the state, has yet to speak on the face-off between his successor and the state lawmakers.

However, the FCT minister has vowed not to renege on his support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu come 2027, insisting that those now claiming to be supporting the President’s re-election bid were not there in 2023.

Addressing stakeholders during a visit to Port Harcourt City Local Government Area yesterday, Wike said:

“From the beginning, we have been people of the Renewed Hope family. And that was the position we were in to support Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Those who were not there then, who went and supported Atiku Abubakar and refused to give him even 10 per cent of votes in their states, are all coming and want to be in the Renewed Hope Agenda. Is it possible? Nobody in this state can push us out. No amount of threat can shake us.”

I won’t be leader forever – Wike

The minister further stated that he would not be a leader forever and would leave the scene at the right time for another leader to take over.

“All of us know that today, I am a leader; tomorrow may be your own turn. No one person can be leader forever. It is not possible. God can never allow that. Someone said Wike is our leader; as at today, yes. But it can never be forever.

“Man comes, man goes. I said man comes and man goes because everybody has his own turn; everybody has his own time. When your own time comes, you do what you can do to the satisfaction of people and to the glory of God. So, when you respect a leader, when it is your own turn too, someone will respect you.”

…Says Tinubu should sleep with two eyes closed over Rivers votes

Wike also assured President Bola Tinubu that he would get the votes of the people of the state in the 2027 presidential election.

The minister made this known on Saturday while addressing both supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during his “thank you” visit to Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state.

“These are the foot soldiers of the Renewed Hope Family. If there is one state that the President knows he can go home and sleep with his two eyes closed, it is Rivers State,” he said.

Recalling how the people of Rivers stood by him and elected Tinubu in 2023 against all odds, he said that now that the benefits are rolling in, he would not allow anyone to rush in at the last minute and take the glory.

“In 2023, we led the struggle here. We were members of the Renewed Hope Agenda from the very beginning and that was when we took the decision to support Tinubu.

“You were not there from the beginning. You didn’t go to buy the pepper, you didn’t go to buy the salt, and you didn’t go to buy the oil.

“You did not participate in all these things. Suddenly, food is done; you now jump in and want to be the one to eat first. Is that possible? Nobody in this state can push us out,” he said.

The minister urged his supporters not to be afraid of the activities of distractors, but to remain united and focus their energy on supporting the re-election of the President.

Wike explained that the visit was to thank the people for the support in 2023 and to advise them to keep working together, assuring them that 2026 would be better than 2025.

Earlier, Mayor of Port Harcourt, Sir Allwell Ihunda, commended Tinubu for ensuring democratically elected council chairmen exist in the state.

Ihunda added that, as governor of the state for eight years, Wike had done wonders by executing numerous life-impacting projects to make life better for the people.

“We are ready for your directives on what to do in 2027. As soon as the directive comes, we will step into action,” he said.

Also, Mrs Blessing Amadi, representing Port Harcourt II Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, commended the minister for giving women a voice at the decision-making table by making women vice-chairmen in all the local government areas of the state.

“This is the only state in the country that has given women so much recognition, and we applaud you for this,” she said.

Mr Smart Adoki, representing Port Harcourt II in the State Assembly, equally thanked Wike for taking the risk to support Tinubu in 2023, adding that today, the people of Rivers are reaping the benefits.