Audi alleges fraud in Joshua M. Ishaku’s case, claims INEC document irregularities, and seeks review of Supreme Court ruling over denied fair hearing
Nigerian politician Haruna Shekwolo Audi has filed a motion at the Supreme Court of Nigeria seeking to set aside its judgment delivered on February 16, 2026, in a case involving Joshua M. Ishaku and the All Progressives Congress (APC). Audi alleges that the judgment was obtained through fraud and that he was denied the constitutional right to fair hearing.
The motion, filed under Order 4 Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules 2024 and the court’s inherent jurisdiction, seeks an order nullifying the judgment in suit number SC/CV/35/2026 and requests the court to grant any further relief it deems appropriate.
The dispute originated from an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1692/2025, which arose from suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1494/2025 at the Federal High Court in Abuja. In his application, Audi stated that the proceedings leading to the judgment were conducted without his knowledge or participation.
He claimed he was never served with the notice of appeal, brief of argument, or the judgment, which he described as a violation of his constitutional rights under Section 36(1) and Section 294(1) of the 1999 Constitution. Audi only became aware of the decision after seeing the judgment circulate on social media.
Audi further alleged that the respondents obtained the judgment through fraudulent means, particularly concerning a document submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He claimed that a letter dated July 4, 2025, used to submit Joshua M. Ishaku’s name to INEC and attached as Exhibit INEC 4, did not exist as of June 26, 2025, the date it was allegedly received by the electoral body.
He argued that these discrepancies cast serious doubts on the authenticity of the evidence used in the case. The applicant also noted that, to his knowledge, the APC had not been served with the full judgment, rendering the proceedings and judgment invalid.
Legal Representation
Court documents show that Audi is represented by a high-profile legal team led by Ogwu J. Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), alongside other prominent lawyers including M. A. Ebute SAN and George Ibrahim SAN.
The motion requests the Supreme Court to nullify the earlier decision and revisit the matter to ensure justice is served.
