Former Female Minister's Marriage Dissolved

The marriage between former Minister of Science and Technology and later Minister of State, Works and Housing under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007, Mrs Grace Ekpiwhre and her husband, Chief Peter Ekpiwhre, has been dissolved.

A customary court sitting in Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, on Monday, dissolved the marriage as requested by the former minister.

 President of the court, Mrs Stella Okah, said the dissolution of the marriage came on the heels of the conviction that there had been strained love between the couple for a long time and the former minister was no longer interested in the marriage.

The marriage, which was  contracted in 1985, was blessed with a girl. 

Mrs Okah, supported by Chief (Dr.) Adadi Omosowho and Mr Richard Onosigho and other members of the Agbarho customary court, ordered the family of Mrs Ekpiwhre to refund to the court’s registry, N120 paid as bride price by Mr Ekpiwhre to the minister’s family since 1985.

 The eldest man of the Akpoguma family of Agbarho, where the plaintiff hails from in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Chief Samuel Salubi, almost immediately dipped his hands into his wallet and refunded the money.