Diezani Madueke’s estranged husband requests a court order to prevent her from using his name

The Lagos State High Court has received a petition from Admiral Alison Madueke asking for a formal decree ending his union with Diezani Madueke.

The filed petition calls for a court order to stop the former Minister of Petroleum Resources from using his last name in addition to asking for the dissolution of their marriage.

On June 30, 1999, Madueke, a former military governor of the states of Anambra and Imo, wed Diezani in accordance with the Marriage Act.

In Madueke’s petition for a jactitation of marriage, or a proclamation that the marriage has terminated, this was mentioned.

Given the charges of corruption against Diezani, the former Chief of Naval Staff contended that her continuous use of his name, even after their marriage had ended, was bad for his reputation and could have unforeseen implications, including erroneous culpability.

In the petition, Madueke mentioned that Diezani had earlier filed for divorce at the Nasarawa State High Court in Mararaba Gurku in November 2021, claiming that their marriage had irreconcilably broken down and that they wished to formally dissolve it.

According to him, he didn’t challenge the lawsuit that resulted in their marriage being dissolved by the court. However, Diezani kept using his surname even after their marriage was formally dissolved.

“On the 13th day of April 2022, judgment was delivered in Suit No. NSD/MG345/2021 by Hon. Justice A.A. Ozegya dissolving the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent on the ground that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

“The said dissolution of marriage has now become absolute by the operation of law.

“Even though the marriage has been dissolved and is now legally finalised, the respondent continues to use the petitioner’s first name (Alison) and surname (Madueke) as her own without any justification or consent from the petitioner.

“It is now more than two-years that the respondent continues to use the name of the petitioner to his embarrassment.”

He clarified that on December 14, 2023, he gave his attorneys instructions to formally request that Diezani stop using his surname and return to her maiden name, Agama.

“Despite this legal notice, Diezani has failed to respond and continues to use his name.

“The respondent has continued to hold out herself as the wife of the petitioner even when the marriage has been dissolved.

“The respondent is undergoing criminal trials in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The charge in Nigeria is Suit No. FUC/ABI/CR/208/2010.

“The respondent faces public allegations of corruption and financial misconduct, for which trials are ongoing for both.

“The persistent portrayal of the respondent as the spouse of the petitioner is creating embarrassment, a misleading impression and tarnishing the reputation, integrity, and public image of the petitioner.

“The respondent’s continued use of the petitioner’s first and surname falsely suggests to the public a continuing relationship between the parties though same has since legally ended.

“The respondent’s continued use of the petitioner’s first and family names poses a significant risk of legal and financial harm to the petitioner.

“The petitioner seeks the intervention of this Honourable Court to prevent the respondent from further using his first name and surname, thereby safeguarding his image, personality, and reputation.”

But after their marriage ended, Madueke requested a permanent injunction prohibiting Diezani from using his name.