Admiral Alison Amaechina Madueke, the former military governor of Anambra and Imo states, has approached the Lagos State High Court seeking an order to stop his ex-wife, Diezani Madueke, from using his first and last name.
Madueke, who was previously married to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Madueke, argues that his ex-wife's ongoing use of his name despite their marriage being legally dissolved is damaging to his reputation, particularly given the corruption allegations against her.
In his petition for jactitation of marriage, Madueke prayed the court to order Diezani to revert to her maiden name, Agama. He revealed that Diezani had previously filed for divorce at the Nassarawa State High Court in November 2021, which was granted in April 2022, yet she continues to use his surname.
Madueke stated, "Even though the marriage has been dissolved and is now legally finalised, the respondent continues to use the petitioner's first name (Alison) and surname (Madueke) as her own without any justification or consent from the petitioner."
The ex-chief of Naval Staff further argued that Diezani's use of his name could lead to unintended consequences, including mistaken liability, particularly given the corruption allegations against her. He revealed that he had directed his legal representatives to serve Diezani a formal request in December 2023, demanding that she cease using his surname and revert to her maiden name, but she has failed to respond.
Madueke is seeking a court order that compels Diezani to revert to her maiden name and to publicly announce in a national newspaper, both in Nigeria and the UK, that she has ceased using his surname.