By Davies Iheamnachor
The suit filed by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Nma Odu, challenging their impeachment by the State Assembly, has faced a setback.
This was as the presiding Judge, Justice Florence Fiberesima, of the Oyigbo High Court of the State, sitting in Port Harcourt, adjourned the suit indefinitely.
The Martin Amaewhule-led state assembly had commenced impeachment proceedings against the Governor and his deputy.
The Assembl, which preferred the alleged gross misconduct, had served an impeachment notice on the governor, and his deputy had later forwarded a request to the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi, to set up a 7-man panel to investigate the preferred misconduct.
Fubara and his deputy filed a suit challenging the impeachment proceedings. They also obtained an interim order stopping Chief Judge Amadi from receiving or granting the assembly’s request.
When the matter resumed in court on Friday, the lead counsel to Martins Amaewhule, 26 members of the Assembly, S.I Amen, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court of an appeal that had been entered by his clients.
Amen orally applied for the court to stop further hearing pending the determination of the notice on appeal.
Paul Orikoro, SAN, lead claimant’s counsel, and Lawrence Oko-Jaja, counsel for defendants 28 to 30 (Victor Oko Jumbo, Sokari Goodboy, and Orubienimigha Timothy), did not oppose the oral application.
Ruling on the application, the presiding Judge, Justice Fiberesima, adjourned sine die following the proof of two separate appeals which have been entered.
She said the adjournment will allow the appeal court to first decide the suit.
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