Former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Alison Madueke, has filed a petition at the Lagos State High Court seeking to prevent his estranged wife, Diezani Alison-Madueke from using his surname.
The ex-military governor of Anambra and Imo states, married Diezani on June 30, 1999, under the Marriage Act.
According to him, Diezani filed for divorce in November 2021, citing an irretrievable breakdown of their marriage.
This led to the court’s dissolution of their marriage in April 2022.
Despite the court dissolving their marriage, Diezani hasn’t complied with the request to revert to her maiden name, Agama.
In the petition, Madueke claimed that Diezani’s continued use of his name is causing him further embarrassment and reputational damage.
“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 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 petition further read.
He is seeking an order of perpetual injunction to restrain Diezani from further using his name and to compel her to revert to her maiden name.
Madueke is also requesting that Diezani publicly announce in a national newspaper in both Nigeria and the UK that she has ceased from using his surname.
Diezani Alison-Madueke has held several significant positions in the Nigerian government, including Minister of Transportation, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, and Minister of Petroleum Resources.
She was also the first female President of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, elected in November 2014.
She faces allegations of embezzling $2.5 billion from the Nigerian government during her tenure, leading to her arrest and legal proceedings in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Ex-naval chief, Madueke asks court to restrain ex-petroleum Minister Diezani from using his name
