A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, has adjourned indefinitely the suit filed by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma-Odu, challenging the impeachment process initiated against them by the Speaker and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The presiding judge, Justice Florence Fiberesima of the Oyigbo High Court, took the decision following applications by defence counsel seeking a stay of proceedings pending the determination of appeals already entered before the Court of Appeal.
When the matter was called for hearing, lead counsel to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Martin Chile-Amaewhule, and 26 other lawmakers, S.I. Amen (SAN), informed the court that an appeal had been properly filed and urged the court to suspend further proceedings until the appellate court resolves the issues raised.
The oral application for a stay was not opposed by counsel to the claimants, Paul Orikoro (SAN), nor by Lawrence Oko-Jaja, who represents the 28th to 30th defendants—Oko Jumbo, Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy.
In her ruling, Justice Fiberesima confirmed that two separate appeals arising from the matter had been duly entered at the Court of Appeal.
She consequently adjourned the case sine die, stressing that the appellate court must first determine the issues placed before it before the trial court can take any further steps.
The ruling effectively puts on hold all proceedings relating to the legal challenge against the impeachment moves, pending the outcome of the appeals.
Meanwhile, in a related development, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo Local Government Area had earlier granted an interim injunction restraining the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Chike-Amaewhule, and 32 others, including the Clerk of the House, from forwarding any articles of impeachment or related documents to the Chief Judge of the state.
The court also restrained the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, from receiving or acting on any impeachment-related communication for the purpose of constituting a panel to investigate the alleged misconduct against the governor and his deputy for a period of seven days.
The legal developments have further deepened the political tension in Rivers State, as the fate of the impeachment process now largely rests on the decisions of the appellate court.