The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, to respect and comply with an existing interim court injunction restraining him from receiving or acting on any impeachment-related documents from the Rivers State House of Assembly.
In a statement issued by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, the APC reaffirmed its position that judicial officers are duty-bound to obey court orders, regardless of the political circumstances surrounding the ongoing impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
The call follows a High Court ruling in Oyibo Local Government Area, where a judge granted an interim injunction in suits filed by Governor Fubara and Odu. The order specifically bars the Chief Judge from receiving, forwarding, considering or acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or related communication from the Rivers House of Assembly pending further hearing.
The APC’s appeal emphasises that the judiciary must uphold the rule of law and that all judicial officers — including the state’s chief judicial authority — are obligated to adhere strictly to subsisting court orders, regardless of political pressures or interpretations of the impeachment process.
The party described the impeachment move by the Assembly, dominated by lawmakers including some from the ruling party, as a “legislative coup d’état” that risks undermining party unity and governance in the state. It argued that proceeding with the impeachment while an active injunction remains in force could erode legal norms and set a dangerous precedent.
The interim injunction — granted by Justice F. A. Fiberesima — is set for further hearing later this month, with the government and judiciary expected to revisit the matter. Until then, the High Court order remains binding, and the APC insists that Justice Amadi must respect and obey the injunction to prevent judicial overreach and safeguard due process.
In its statement, the APC also called on the party’s national leadership to activate internal conflict-resolution mechanisms, aiming to address the widening political tensions between the legislature and the executive in Rivers State.
Observers say the situation underscores the complex interplay between constitutional procedures, judicial oversight and political rivalry in the state’s impeachment drama — one in which compliance with court orders is seen as central to maintaining legal integrity and public confidence.
