A paternity test administered in the U.S. has revealed that a former Nigerian politician is not the father of his wife’s child. The news could dramatically affect the outcome of the couple’s ongoing divorce in Maryland, which centered on the woman’s demand for child support, among other issues.
The former official initially believed he was the father of his wife’s child, but changed his mind after a falling out with his wife. He told a judge he doubted that he was the girl’s father and asked that a DNA test be conducted to confirm his suspicions. The former official’s media and communications assistant released an announcement on his behalf, explaining that the man did not wish to negatively affect his positive image due to “cheap blackmail.”
The woman initially filed for divorce after accusing her husband of family abandonment, domestic violence and other offenses. In addition to child support payments and a divorce, she also requested that her husband make alimony payments and give her full ownership of a U.S. property owned by a company to which he is connected. Additionally, the woman reportedly asked the court to designate the property as a family home, allowing her to request the property as part of the divorce agreement. With the exception of child support, most of her requests have been dismissed.
While the findings of the paternity test do free the former official from obligation to pay child support for his wife’s daughter, he may still have to pay support to the couple’s two sons. As such, he has requested that DNA tests also be performed on the two children. The next hearing in the divorce case is scheduled for September.
Source: This Day Live, “DNA Test Reveals Audu Not Father of Wife’s Daughter,” Tobi Soniyi, Aug. 26, 2011
