The impeachment process against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma-Odu, suffered a major setback on Tuesday as a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt indefinitely adjourned a suit restraining the Chief Judge from constituting an investigative panel.
Justice Florence Fiberesima of the Oyigbo High Court adjourned the matter sine die following the filing of appeals by parties in the case, effectively halting further proceedings pending the determination of the appeals at the Court of Appeal.
The suit was instituted by Governor Fubara and his deputy against the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, 26 other lawmakers including the Clerk of the House, over the impeachment process initiated against them.
When the case came up for hearing on Friday, counsel for the Speaker and 26 members of the House, S. I. Amen, SAN, informed the court that appeals had been duly entered and orally applied for a stay of proceedings pending their outcome.
The application was not opposed by counsel to the claimants, Paul Orokoro, SAN, as well as Lawrence Oko-Jaja, who represented the 28th to 30th defendants, namely Oko Jumbo, Sokari Goodboy, and Orubienimigha Timothy.
In her ruling, Justice Fiberesima held that the existence of two separate appeals made it appropriate to halt proceedings, stressing that the appellate court should be allowed to determine the issues before it, before adjourning the suit indefinitely.
The development followed an earlier interim injunction granted by her restraining the Speaker, 25 lawmakers, the Clerk of the House, and the Chief Judge of Rivers State from taking further steps in the impeachment process.
The court had barred the lawmakers from forwarding any articles of impeachment or related documents to the Chief Judge for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate alleged gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy.
The interim order also restrained the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Simeon Amadi, from receiving, considering, or acting on any impeachment-related communication for a period of seven days.
