Group Seeks Court Order to Stop Fubara’s Impeachment

The Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners on February 10, 2026 filed a suit at the Rivers State High Court asking it to stop the Rivers State House of Assembly from continuing the impeachment process against Governor Sim Fubara, arguing that the notice issued against him is flawed and unconstitutional.

The case, marked RHC/427/CS/2026, was filed through their lawyer, S. O. Abang.
The group asked the court to grant an interlocutory injunction restraining the Assembly from taking further steps in the impeachment process pending the determination of the suit.

It also urged the court to stop the Chief Judge of Rivers State from setting up or inaugurating any impeachment panel based on the notice dated January 8, 2026, which it described as defective.

Those listed as respondents in the suit include the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Rivers State, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Clerk of the Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo who represents Bonny State Constituency, Adolphus Timothy who represents Opobo/Nkoro State Constituency, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, the Director General of the Department of State Services, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The plaintiff also asked the court to restrain the respondents from interfering with the constitutional duties of the governor. In addition, it sought an order of mandamus directing Victor Oko-Jumbo and Adolphus Timothy to begin impeachment proceedings against the Speaker of the Assembly for alleged breach of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.

The group further requested that the court direct the DSS to investigate the Speaker, Martins Amaehule, and 25 other lawmakers over what it described as the use of impeachment threats in a manner that could affect national security.

It also asked the court to stop INEC from recognising Napoleon Ukalikpe and Mrs Bulabari Henrietta as candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the upcoming bye-elections in Rivers State until the suit is decided.

In its court filings, ALDRAP argued that the impeachment notice served on the governor did not provide details of the alleged misconduct and relied on issues that had already been decided by the Supreme Court.

It stated that allowing the process to continue could disrupt governance in the state and remove an elected governor in a manner not supported by the Constitution.

An affidavit deposed to by the Administrative Secretary of ALDRAP, Jesse James Amuga, stated that the notice was fundamentally defective. He said it failed to state clear particulars of wrongdoing, wrongly described the governor, and was based on matters that had already been settled by the apex court.

Through its originating summons, the group asked the court to determine whether the eight allegations listed in the impeachment notice meet the requirement of gross misconduct as defined under Section 188(11) of the Constitution.

It also asked the court to decide whether referring to the governor as “madam” in the notice amounts to a defect that could invalidate the process.

The plaintiff further asked the court to consider whether the Speaker and 25 lawmakers, who are said to be facing recall proceedings, still have the legal standing to carry out impeachment steps.

It also raised the issue of whether members of the same political party as the governor should have first used internal party dispute channels before initiating impeachment proceedings.

Among the reliefs sought are declarations that the notice does not disclose any act that amounts to gross misconduct and that the impeachment process is null and void.

The group also asked the court to quash the notice and issue a perpetual injunction stopping the Assembly and other respondents from proceeding with the impeachment.

In addition, the plaintiff asked the court to compel the governor and the Attorney-General of the state to publish in the state gazette that the Speaker should be barred from holding public office in Rivers State for 10 years, relying on what it described as judicial precedent.

It also requested a declaration that the Speaker’s seat be declared vacant due to an ongoing recall process said to have begun in March 2025.

As of the time of filing this report, the case has not been assigned a date for hearing.