The Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has held that the Federal Government and Local Government Councils have the legal authority to celebrate, contract, and register marriages between prospective couples.

The appellate court, in two decisions, overturned the December 8, 2021 judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos which barred the Federal Government from further registering marriages contracted or celebrated under the Marriage Act, 2004 in some local Government Council Areas in the country.

A three-man panel of the court comprising presiding Justice Jimi Olukayode Bada, Justice Abubakar Umar and Justice Fredrick Oho unanimously held that no single organ of government has the exclusive authority to contract and celebrate marriages between a prospective couple.