By David Torough, Abuja 

The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has declined to set up a judicial panel to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara, citing a court order.

The Rivers State House of Assembly had requested that Amadi set up a seven-member panel to probe Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.

However, in a letter dated January 20 and addressed to the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, the chief judge cited two court orders barring him from receiving, forwarding, or considering any requests to form such a panel.

The judge stated that the orders were served on his office on January 16, 2026 and remain in force.

The chief judge emphasised that constitutionalism and the rule of law require all authorities to obey subsisting court orders, irrespective of their perception of the orders’ validity.

He referenced legal precedents, noting that in a similar case in 2007, the Chief Judge of Kwara State was condemned for ignoring a restraining court order when setting up an investigative panel, a decision later voided by the Court of Appeal.

Justice Amadi further observed that the Speaker has already filed an appeal against the court orders at the Court of Appeal, adding another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the allegations.

“By the doctrine of ‘lis pendens’, parties and the court have to await the outcome of the appeal,” he said.

Justice Amadi further stated that the existence of the injunctions and the pending appeal had effectively tied his hands.

“In view of the foregoing, my hand is fettered, as there are subsisting interim orders of injunction and appeal against the said orders. I am therefore legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties under Section 188(5) of the Constitution in the instant,” he said.

The chief judge appealed to the lawmakers to recognise the legal constraints surrounding the matter.

Justice Amadi, therefore, urged the state assembly to be “magnanimous enough to appreciate the legal position of the matter.”

Court documents sighted on Thursday showed that Akpabio filed an application before the apex court to regularise and sustain his appeal challenging decisions of the lower courts on the matter.

The legal battle over the suspension of the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has escalated as the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has again approached the Supreme Court.

The documents are marked SC NO: SC/CV/1111/2025.

Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/1107/2025. Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025.

It partly read, “Motion on Notice brought pursuant to Order 4 Rules 6 & 16 of the Supreme Court 2024 Sections 22, 27 (1) 4, 2 & 4 and 29 of the Supreme Court ACT CAP S.

15 Laws of the Federal Law Section 233 (1) and 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and under the inherent jurisdiction of this Honourable Court.”

Akpabio is listed as the appellant, while the respondents are Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuen.

The dispute arose from a February 2025 plenary session during which Akpoti-Uduaghan raised issues of privilege and alleged procedural breaches.

The matter was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which later recommended her suspension.

Dissatisfied, the lawmaker approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, alleging a breach of her right to a fair hearing and non-compliance with the Senate Standing Orders.

In its judgment on July 4, 2025, the court faulted the suspension, describing it as excessive and unconstitutional.

Following proceedings at the Court of Appeal, Akpabio has now taken the case to the Supreme Court, seeking extension of time to apply for leave to appeal, leave to appeal on grounds of mixed law and fact, and an order deeming his notice of appeal and brief of argument as properly filed.

The former governor argued that the Senate acted within its powers under Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows the National Assembly to regulate its internal procedures.

Akpabio also contended that the Senate President was not under an obligation to immediately rule on every point of privilege and that the Senate lawfully activated its disciplinary process.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, has maintained that her suspension was unlawful and carried out without a fair hearing, insisting that the Senate failed to follow its own rules.

It was confirmed on Thursday that her lawyers had been served with the Supreme Court processes.

The case also involves a related contempt issue arising from a social media post by Akpoti-Uduaghan while the suit was pending. The Federal High Court had fined her and ordered a public apology, a decision she has also appealed.

Legal watchers say the Supreme Court’s decision could clarify the limits of legislative discipline and judicial intervention.

The development comes barely two weeks after Akpabio announced that he had decided to withdraw pending court cases against his adversaries.

Akpoti-Uduaghan resumed duties on September 23, 2025, after completing a six-month suspension and regaining access to her office at the National Assembly.

Her office had been sealed since March 6, 2025, following her suspension over alleged misconduct during a protest against the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio on February 20.

Despite the suspension lapsing in September, she was unable to return immediately due to ongoing legal battles and resistance from the Senate leadership.

Following the July 4 judgment, she notified the Senate of her intention to resume, but the request was initially rejected.

Speaking to newsmen after the closed-door meeting, Turaki said that the party was being repositioned to reclaim its status as Africa’s largest political party and return to its “winning days.”

He described the visit as an essential step aimed at introducing the new NWC members to Sambo as well as to brief him on the prospects and challenges facing the PDP after its recently elective National Convention in Ibadan.

Turaki said that the former vice president provided generous advice and guidance on repositioning the party as a formidable winning platform.

“The most important thing for us this evening is the assurance that His Excellency has given us that he is and will continue to remain a member of the PDP.

“His excellency had assured us that very soon that he will become more active than he used to be.

“He assured us that should there be anything at any time that requires his attention, that we should not hesitate to run to him and he will be up and doing. He will be there for us.

“We are happy that the leaders behind the PDP’s past successes are firmly with us,” Turaki stated.

He expressed confidence that with the backing of the party’s founding fathers, the PDP was on course to win upcoming elections, including the FCT Area Council polls and the off-season governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.

Asked if former President Goodluck Jonathan would be contesting on the party’s platform, Turaki maintained that the party had already decided to zone its presidential ticket to the Southern part of Nigeria.

He said that while the party did not yet know who the specific candidate that would emerge, the process would be open, transparent, fair, and equitable.

“If for whatever reason, anybody wants to contest, we want to assure you, Nigerians, that you will be the deciders of who becomes your candidate,” he said.

Reacting to the dismissal of Samuel Anyanwu’s case at the FCT High Court, Turaki described the judgment by Justice M. Umar as a “vindication” for the PDP family.

He argued that the court’s decision reinforced the principle that the judiciary should not meddle in internal political party matters.

“The judgment has vindicated us that we are the genuine leaders of PDP and that our convention was legitimately done.

“People cannot just go into a corner and ascribe leadership to themselves. This is a political party.

“This is not a market association, neither is it an association of shoe-shiners. This is a political party, and there must be discipline,” he said.

On how the party is accelerating its various court cases, Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, explained that the party had fulfilled all necessary legal filings.

He noted that the NWC was currently waiting for the President of the Court of Appeal to decide whether a local or special panel would be set up to determine the appeals.

“We are now in a position where all briefs are in, and we’re waiting for the president of the Court of Appeal, in her own wisdom, to decide which panel, whether it’s going to be a local panel here in Abuja or a special panel that will be set up that will now sit and determine these appeals.

“Again, whether these appeals will be taken simply, or they’re going to be consolidated by the Court of Appeal, is something that is absolutely within their discretion.

“For us, we have fulfilled all righteousness. We’ve done everything that we need to do. We’re waiting for this to be given for us, for our lawyers to go and argue our appeals,” Turaki said.