A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has adjourned indefinitely the suit filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma-Odu, challenging their impeachment by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The adjournment was made by Justice Florence Fiberesima after confirming that two separate appeals have been entered before the Court of Appeal, allowing the appellate court to determine the issues first.
Fubara and his deputy had approached the court to challenge what they described as unconstitutional and politically motivated impeachment proceedings being orchestrated by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, 26 other lawmakers loyal to him, and the Clerk of the House.
Justice Fiberesima, while ruling on the application before her, held that once an appeal is properly entered, the trial court must exercise restraint to avoid actions that could conflict with the jurisdiction of the appellate court.
She noted that proceeding with the case in the face of the pending appeals could amount to judicial impropriety.
Meanwhile, the indefinite adjournment has puts the impeachment litigation on hold, further prolonging the tense standoff between the executive arm of government and the faction of the legislature loyal to the immediate past governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The same Oyigbo High Court had earlier issued an interim order of injunction restraining the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 32 others, including the Clerk of the House and the Chief Judge of Rivers State, from taking further steps in the impeachment process.
In that ruling, the court outrightly barred the Speaker and the lawmakers from forwarding any articles of impeachment, resolutions, or other documents or communications to the Chief Judge of the state for the purpose of setting up a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara and his deputy.
However, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, had earlier declined to constitute a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara and his deputy, citing subsisting court orders restraining him from taking such action.
