The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court that restrained the Federal Government from further registering marriages within some local government councils in the country.
In the judgment delivered on Wednesday, the appellate court held that both the Federal Government and local government councils have the legal authority to celebrate, contract, and register marriages between prospective couples.
The court held that not one organ of government has the exclusive preserve of contracting and celebrating marriages between a prospective couple.
The judgment was delivered by a three-man panel, led by Justice Abubakar Umar and adopted by Justice Jimi Bada (presiding) and Justice Fredrick Oho.
Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos had in a December 8, 2021 judgment retrained the Minister of Interior and his privies, agents or delegates from further registering marriages contracted or celebrated under the Marriage Act, Cap. M6 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 within the plaintiffs’ Local Government Councils Area.
‘‘I am, therefore, of the considered view that the restriction imposed by the lower court directing the 1st cross respondent to only conduct, celebrate, and contract marriages in the marriage registries situate at Ikoyi, Lagos and Federal Capital Territory Abuja is wrong and erroneous,” he ruled.
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