…Declares all marriages conducted by the Ikoyi Marriage Registry illegal, invalid
A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos has held that all marriages conducted by the Federal Marriage Registries or through their agents are illegal and invalid.
The court also ordered the closure of all federal marriage registries including the Ikoyi Marriage Registry with immediate effect.
Justice D.E Osiagor of FHC Ikoyi gave this ruling yesterday, December 13, in the matter between the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos state and the Ministry of Interior and Attorney General of the Federation in suit No.: FHC/ LS/CS/816/18 between Eti-Osa LGA & 3 others v. Hon. Minister of Interior & 2 others.
The court accused the Federal Ministry of Interiors of usurping the Local Governments power to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.
According to the court, the conduct of marriages and issue of certificates is statutorily the responsibility of the local governments as provided by the law, and only the local governments have the power to do such.
It noted that the acts of the federal government through the Ministry of Interior operating marriage registries is clearly beyond their powers.
The plaintiff (Eti-Osa LGA & 3 others)had approached the court in the matter and prayed it to declare that the federal government has no business in the conducting of marriages and issuing marriage certificates.
They also asked the court to order the closure of all marriage registers and registries opened and operated by the Federal Ministry of Interior or through their agents including that of the Ikoyi Registry.
After what would be considered a tortuous legal battle, the FHC Ikoyi granted the local government and the three others their prayers and ruled in their prayers.
Recall that there has been a legal brawl between some Local Government Areas in the country against the federal government over the determination of who has the statutory power to operate marriage registries, conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.
Naija Times gathered that statutorily, the local governments is the only tier of government empowered to conduct marriages and issue marriage certificates.
For this reason, the LGAs have consistently insisted that their powers to register marriages which is statutorily provided are being usurped by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior.
Comments are closed.