Rivers State Assembly Raises Alarm Over Judicial Interference

Rivers Assembly Alleges Secret Plot to Halt Its Duties

Rivers House of Assembly accuses actors of seeking ex parte orders outside Port Harcourt to halt impeachment proceedings and legislative duties.

Atlantic Post

January 12, 2026

2–3 minutes

Atlantic Post, Impeachment, Judiciary, Political Crisis, Rivers State, Rule of Law, Siminalayi Fubara

The Rivers State House of Assembly has sounded the alarm. It describes credible intelligence pointing to a coordinated effort by unnamed actors. These actors aim to obtain ex parte orders from High Courts sitting outside the Port Harcourt Judicial Division. Their aim is to stop the legislature from performing its constitutional duties.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Dr Enemi Alabo George DSSRS signed as Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints. The Assembly said the plan involved deploying courts in parts of the state outside the capital. This was intended to frustrate its sittings.

The release made clear the lawmakers view the move as both deliberate. It was also seen as calculated to disrupt the impeachment processes now underway.

The statement invoked specific constitutional safeguards and judicial precedent. It noted that those alleged to be plotting such moves are fully aware of the limits placed on judicial intervention in certain matters.

The Assembly referenced sections of the constitution. It claims these sections bar courts from entertaining challenges to the internal determinations of a House of Assembly. It also pointed to recent Court of Appeal pronouncements that struck down similar ex parte orders.

Context is critical. The Assembly has started impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu. These actions have inflamed an already bitter political contest in the state.

Lawmakers said it was unacceptable for litigants to seek emergency injunctions. They noted that litigants often choose fora perceived to be friendlier to their cause. This is seen as a way to subvert the legislative process.

The tone of the release was stern. Lawmakers urged those served with notices of allegation of gross misconduct to answer the charges item by item. They should not resort to what the statement called subterranean moves. Using proxies to malign members and the Rivers State House of Assembly in the media was also discouraged. A word is enough for the wise, the release concluded.

Observers will read the allegation in two lights. To supporters of the Assembly it is a defence of legislative independence and a warning against judicial forum shopping.

To critics, it risks being read as pre-emptive rhetoric. It is designed to delegitimise any legal challenges that be lodged against the impeachment process.

Either way, the dispute underlines a critical point. Constitutional processes become fragile when political actors use courts and legislatures as instruments in tactical contests. They should serve as pillars of democratic governance.

The Assembly closed its statement by invoking commitment to the constitution. It emphasized the rule of law. The Assembly also called on all parties to exercise restraint.

For Rivers State, where political polarisation has at times spilled into governance paralysis, challenges lie ahead. The coming days will test whether institutions can withstand partisan pressure. Alternatively, they may be bent into tools of short-term advantage.

As this story develops Atlantic Post will watch court filings and the Assembly’s timetable for its proceedings.

For now, the allegation of a secret judicial plot has widened an already contentious political theatre in Rivers. It has added yet another dimension to a crisis that has been simmering for months.