…douses tension in Rivers market space
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has quashed the third attempt by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach him and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The Assembly members had, on Friday, January 16, 2026, unanimously voted to continue with the impeachment process, directing the State’s chief judge, Simeon Amadi, to set up a 7-man panel to investigate the gross misconduct allegation they levelled against the governor and his deputy.
But in a swift counter-move, Governor Siminalayi Fubara successfully halted the impeachment move with an interim injunction from a Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo, same Friday.
The injunction restrained the Speaker, Clerk and two other members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from sending any correspondence to the chief judge of the state. It also restrained the chief judge, Simeon Amadi, from receiving, forwarding, considering or in any way acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other documents from the defendants for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the alleged misconduct against the state governor and his deputy for 7 days.
The presiding judge, F.A. Fiberesima, in a ruling on a motion ex-parte in two separate suits filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, also granted leave to the claimant and
applicant to serve the interim order and originating processes as well as all subsequent processes meant for the defendants at the gate of the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters.
Although the Assembly, in a statement by the chairman of its committee on information, Enemi George, tried to play down the effect of the court injunction by claiming that the chief judge had received and confirmed the impeachment notice against Governor Sim Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, many Rivers citizens see the governor’s counter-move against the impeachment as a step in the right direction in his quest to continue to deliver good governance to the people of the state without distraction.
Mene Ndookor, a concerned Rivers citizen from Ogoni, told BusinessDay on Saturday that Rivers people were happy with Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s achievements and were therefore behind him.
“At least with this injunction, he (Fubara) can now continue with the good work he’s doing for our State without unnecessary distractions. It’s unfortunate that despite his achievements which majority of Rivers people are happy with, a few persons are trying to remove him and rob us of the good governance and peace we’re enjoying under his administration,” Mene Ndookor said.
Meanwhile, BusinessDay’s checks reveal that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s stoppage of the impeachment moves through an interim court injunction has reduced tensions within the Port Harcourt business space.
Since the second impeachment move against him by the Rivers State House of Assembly penultimate Thursday, business operations in the state had remained apprehensive as suspense reeked the State’s political clime.
The atmosphere became more tense on Friday morning when the Assembly had what could be described as a renewed consensus to proceed with the impeachment plan, seemingly bolstered by the reverted support of four of its members who had earlier pulled out of the move, advocating for political reconciliation.
However, by late Friday afternoon, when news of the interim court injunction against the impeachment process filtered out, tensions began to ease, with people’s faces exuding optimism that the matter was finally under control.
BusinessDay noticed that at some popular joints, motor parks, markets and inside mass transit buses, two issues dominated conversations: Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s counter-impeachment move via a court injunction and the Super Eagle’s defeat by Morocco at the AFCON.
At the Rivers State Secretariat, BusinessDay also observed that normal activities were going on, with civil servants in a relaxed mood, perhaps confirming their belief that their governor was on top of the situation.
Moreover, total renovation of the Podium Block, the giant building housing the ministries of environment, information, works, sports, transport, anong others, was also noticed to be ongoing at the State secretariat that Friday afternoon.
