Human angle
COURT DECLARES ALL MARRIAGES DONE IN IKOYI REGISTRY INVALID
A federal High Court in Lagos, has declared unconstitutional the federal government’s conduct of marriages in Ikoyi registry, Lagos.
It declared all marriages conducted in the registry as illegal and invalid.
Justice D. E. Osiagor who presided over the sitting, said only Local government registries were empowered to conduct marriages and issue certificates by the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended
He insisted that the conduct of marriages and issuance of certificates were statutorily the job of the local governments as provided by the law.
The judge added that the acts of the federal government through the Ministry of Interior, whereby it operated marriage registries was beyond their powers and held that all marriages conducted by federal marriage registries or through their agents were illegal and invalid.
He consequently ordered the closure of all federal marriage registries opened by the ministry, including that of Ikoyi marriage registry with immediate effect.
There has been a legal tussle between some local government areas in Nigeria against the federal government for the determination of in whose purview it falls to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.
For this reason, the LGAs had insisted that their powers to register marriages, which were statutorily provided were being usurped by the federal government through the Ministry of Interior.
By virtue of law, the Eti Osa local government area was meant to conduct all marriages at Ikoyi registry but was not allowed to do so because the federal government took over the job.
This was why the Local Government sought redress in court, accusing the federal government of usurpation of its power to conduct marriages and issue certificates.
It also prayed the court to declare that the federal government has no business in the conduct of marriages and issuing marriage certificates and therefore order the closure of all marriage registries opened and operated by the Federal Ministry of Interior or through their agents, including that of the Ikoyi registry.
The court granted all their prayers, saying only the local governments have the power to conduct marriages in Nigeria.
According to ThisDay newspapers, there was a similar ruling on the same issue in 2018 that was never obeyed by the federal government.
Addressing a press conference afterwards, Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Musliu Folami, said the judgment would be communicated to all stakeholders, including the embassies.