Tobi Adebayo
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the immediate closure of the Ikoyi Marriage Registry and all federal marriage registries opened by the Ministry of Interior.
The order was issued by Justice D. E. Osiagor, who noted that it is unconstitutional for the Federal Government registries to conduct marriages.
Osiagor held that only the local government marriage registries are empowered to conduct marriages by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The conduct of marriages and issuance of certificates are statutorily the job of the local governments as provided by the law.
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“The acts of the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Interior, operating marriage registries is beyond their powers.
“Therefore, all marriages conducted by federal marriage registries or through their agents are illegal and invalid,” Osiagor said.
Recall that in 2018, Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor also issued a restraining order against the Ikoyi registry from conducting marriages.
