Fresh details of how the High Court in Nasarawa State dissolved the union between Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, and her husband, Admiral Alison Amaechina Madueke, have surfaced.
It was reported that that Admiral Madueke, a former Chief of Naval Staff, filed a petition on July 2, 2024, at the Lagos State High Court, seeking the end to the use of his name.
He argued that her continued use of his name, despite their marital dissolution, was damaging his reputation due to the corruption allegations against her.
Interestingly, it was gathered by the Nation’s correspondent that Diezani had already filed for divorce on November 26, 2021, at a High Court in Mararaba Gurku, Nasarawa State.
She cited that their marriage had broken down irretrievably, noting that they had lived apart for over three years and had not cohabitated for more than a year before she presented her petition.
The couple had lawfully married at the federal marriage registry in Lagos on June 30, 1999, and the marriage had 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 Maduekwe, whose is at No 2, Wale Olateju Crescent, Lekki Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos, Lagos State, 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, Lagos State, 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 the 30th June, 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 vide an affidavit evidence under section 107 of the Evidence Act, this court would have no further hesitation to make in this matter but to enter final judgment in matter 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 to wit: Dissolving the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent on the grounds that the marriage has broken down irretrievably.”
