Full details of how court dissolved Diezani, Madueke’s marriage in Nasarawa emerge

New details have emerged regarding the High Court in Nasarawa State’s decision to dissolve the marriage between former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and her husband, Admiral Alison Amaechina Madueke.

Reports has it that Admiral Madueke, a former Chief of Naval Staff, filed a petition on July 2, 2024, at the Lagos State High Court to stop Diezani from using his name. He argued that her continued use of his name was damaging his reputation due to the corruption allegations against her.

Interestingly, it was revealed that Diezani had already filed for divorce on November 26, 2021, at a High Court in Mararaba Gurku, Nasarawa State. She claimed their marriage had irretrievably broken down, noting that they had lived apart for over three years and had not cohabitated for more than a year before she filed her petition.

The couple was lawfully married at the federal marriage registry in Lagos on June 30, 1999, and their marriage produced one son, Chimezie Madueke, who was 20 years old at the time of the petition.

Her petition stated: “On the grounds that the marriage has broken down irretrievably and by virtue of the fact that the petitioner and the respondent have lived apart for a continuous period of over three years immediately preceding the presentation of this petition, and that the Respondent has not lived together with the petitioner for a continuous period of over one year preceding the presentation of this petition.

“The petitioner, Diezani Alison Madueke, whose address is No 2, Wale Olateju Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos, and who is an architect by occupation, hereby petitions the court for a decree of dissolution of marriage against the respondent whose address is No 2, Wole Olateju Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos, and who is a marine consultant by occupation.

“The petitioner, then a spinster, was lawfully married to the respondent at the federal marriage registry, Lagos State, on June 30, 1999, according to the provisions of the Marriage Act, and that both were of marriageable age.”

Diezani disclosed that she had left Nigeria for medical treatment in London in May 2015 and had remained there since, leading to their separation. She emphasized that she had not condoned or colluded in presenting the grounds for the divorce.

Represented by Abdulaziz Ibrahim Esq of K. T. Turakiband Co., Diezani’s petition included verifying affidavits, certificates relating to reconciliation and pre-action counseling, as well as acknowledgment of service to Admiral Madueke.

Despite being duly served, Admiral Madueke did not appear or send a representative throughout the case’s proceedings at the Mararaba High Court, Gurku.

On March 15, 2023, Justice A. A. Ozegya, in suit No NSD/MG345/2021, ruled in favor of Diezani, granting the dissolution of the marriage.

The judgment read: “After listening to the counsel adopting the testimonies of the petitioner via an affidavit evidence under section 107 of the Evidence Act, this court would have no further hesitation in this matter but to enter final judgment as per paragraph 10 of the petition, as the respondent has stated not to contest the petition.

“In view of the above, this court hereby enters final judgment in favour of the petitioner, dissolving the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent on the grounds that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.”