Ex-husband, Alison Madueke, seeks court order to stop ex-minister Diezani from using his name

A new twist has emerged in the ongoing corruption case against former Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Her estranged husband, Chief Alison Madueke, on Monday, filed a motion before a Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to prevent her from using his name in any further legal proceedings related to the case.

Diezani Alison-Madueke is facing charges of money laundering to the tune of $153 million. She has been accused of amassing significant wealth through corrupt practices during her tenure as minister. While she remains abroad, authorities are working to recover assets allegedly linked to her.

The husband is asking the court to order the former Minister of Petroleum Resources to revert to her maiden name, Agama.

This was contained in Madueke’s petition for jactitation of marriage (declaration that a marital union has ended).

The ex-Chief of Naval Staff argues that Diezani’s ongoing use of his name despite their marriage being legally over is damaging to his reputation and could lead to unintended consequences, including mistaken liability, particularly given the corruption allegations against her.

Madueke is a former military governor of Anambra and Imo states. He married Diezani on June 30, 1999, under the Marriage Act.

The petitioner, Madueke, noted that Diezani had previously filed for divorce at the Nassarawa State High Court in Mararaba Gurku in November 2021, citing an irreconcilable breakdown of their marriage, seeking to end their union formally.

He said he did not oppose the suit, resulting in the court’s dissolution of the marriage, yet Diezani persists in using his surname, despite the formal termination of their marital union.

READ ALSO:Diezani: EFCC begins extradition proceedings against ex-petroleum minister

Chief Madueke’s legal team argues that his ex-wife is attempting to deflect blame and public scrutiny by associating him with her alleged crimes.

He stated, “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.

“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.”

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