Marriage registry controversy: what court said

The Federal High Court in Lagos has not barred the Federal Government-owned Marriage Registries of Ikoyi, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja from further contracting marriages under the Marriage Act, 2004. It has, however, perpetually restrained the Minister of Interior from further contracting marriages under the Marriage Act, 2004 within four Local Government Councils Areas in four states. The Councils are Eti-Osa in Lagos State, Egor in Edo State, Owerri Municipal in Imo State and Port Harcourt City in Rivers State. The orders are contained in the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment of Justice Daniel Osiagor delivered last Wednesday, December 8, 2021, seen by The Nation on December 15. The four plaintiffs in the suit marked FHC/ LS/CS/816/18 are Eti-Osa Local Government Council Area, Lagos State; Egor Local Government Council Area, Edo State; Owerri Municipal Local Government Council Area, Imo State and Port Harcourt City Local Government Council Area, Rivers State. The three defendants are the Minister of Interior; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; and a firm, Anchor Dataware Solutions Limited (party joined by order of the court on April 9, 2019). Justice Osiagor, however, refused to direct the Minister of Interior to return all marriage certificates issued within the respective Plaintiffs’ Local Government Councils since June 8, 2004, as demanded by the plaintiffs.

The judge also refused to order the Minister of Interior to return all the fees/money paid by couples’ since June 8, 2004, to the Plaintiffs’ Marriage Registries for re-issuance. Regarding the plaintiffs’ prayer for an order sealing all Federal Marriage Registries in their local governments, the judge granted the prayer in part.