An Ado Ekiti Customary Court in Ekiti State on Monday dissolved the 28-year-old marriage of the chairman of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Idowu Faleye, and his wife, Olajumoke.
Faleye’s faction is loyal to the state Governor, Ayo Fayose,
Faleye accused his wife of aggressive behaviour, uncontrollable, fighting and that the woman was unpredictable.
The husband is aged 62, while the wife’s age was put at 52 and the union was blessed with two female children: Toyin (27) and Dupe (24).
Delivering his judgment, the President, Magistrate Joseph Ogunsemi, held that the union had collapsed irretrievably from the evidence available before the court.
Ogunsemi held that in the divorce suit filed by the embattled factional PDP chairman, the evidence led by the petitioner (Faleye) was unchallenged and incontrovertible as the respondent did not appear in court to give contrary evidence.
The customary court president said evidence also held that there is no proof of a legal marriage between the couple, describing the union as a “mere cohabitation”.
He ruled that the court had no option but to grant the request for dissolution as sought by Faleye.
He ordered the immediate dissolution of the union but ruled that Olajumoke shall have the grace to stay in Faleye’s house for six months within which she is expected to relocate elsewhere at the expiration of the six months.
The court also ordered the two parties to maintain the peace henceforth consequent upon the dissolution of the marriage.
The court, however, gave Olajumoke 21 days within which to appeal the judgment.
Magistrate Ogunsemi averred that the judgment was in line with Order 8 Rule 5 of Ekiti State Customary Court Rule.
While giving evidence before the court, Faleye said: “I don’t love the Respondent anymore, I only appreciate my children and I don’t see any resolution if the union.”
Faleye also told the court that he has another wife despite the fact that the Respondent still lives in his house.
The PDP chief told the court that upon dissolution of the union, he would allow the Respondent to remain in his house for six months after which she would quit the house.
On the last day of sitting on July 21, the court had reserved judgment after Faleye closed his defence with Oluwatoyin failing to appear before the court.
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