A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yusuf Ali (Rabagardama), has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to disregard what he described as a “so-called petition” submitted by Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, against the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani.
This was contained an a letter dated August 30 2025, and addressed to ‘The Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague, Netherlands.’
Ali said, “I write as a bona fide citizen of Nigeria, with Kaduna state as my place of origin, to formally draw the attention of the Honourable Court to a widely circulated petition purportedly submitted by Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, against His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, the Governor of Kaduna State.
“This so-called petition has not only received unusual publicity across conventional and social media platforms in Nigeria but has also been deliberately sensationalized to malign the person of Governor Sani and to mislead the international community, particularly this Honourable Court.”
Ali noted that the petition, which alleges that Governor Sani abused state power to harass and arrest opposition leaders during recent bye-elections, is “baseless, mischievous, and unfounded fabrications.”
“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which conducted the elections, and both local and international observers declared that the process was peaceful, credible, and reflective of the will of the people. Opposition parties fielded candidates without intimidation, voters freely exercised their franchise, and no violence or security-related incidents were recorded anywhere in Kaduna State,” he wrote.
He further described the petition as a “calculated attempt to create false narratives capable of damaging the reputation of a democratically elected governor and by extension, undermining the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.”
Ali reminded the ICC that under the Rome Statute, the Court’s jurisdiction covers only genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
“The allegations in Senator Usman’s petition fall outside the jurisdiction of the ICC. At no point under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani has Kaduna State witnessed genocide, systemic attacks against civilians, war crimes, or acts of aggression. Elections were held under a secure, free, and fair atmosphere, with winners and losers alike emerging through INEC’s transparent processes,” he stressed.
The letter also pointed out that Governor Sani does not have “constitutional powers to unilaterally deploy security agencies for partisan purposes” and that “there is no credible evidence to support such a grave accusation.”
Ali did not spare the petitioner himself, stating:
“It is important to note that the petitioner, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, is not without blemish himself. He has, over time, been enmeshed in allegations of corruption, questionable dealings, and petitions before Nigerian anti-corruption agencies. For such a person to masquerade as a defender of democracy while attempting to smear a democratically elected governor is both ironic and hypocritical.”
He described Governor Sani as a “renowned human rights activist, democrat, and social justice advocate” who came into office “through a popular mandate following a free and fair election” and whose administration “has been marked by policies of inclusiveness, fairness, equity, and visible development across all sectors of Kaduna State.”
“Far from being dictatorial, his leadership has been consultative and widely praised, even by sections of the opposition. His commitment to peace, justice, and good governance stands in sharp contrast to the malicious portrayal in the said petition,” Ali emphasized.
Ali pleaded with the ICC to dismiss the petition entirely:
“In light of the foregoing, I respectfully urge this Honourable Court to disregard the petition by Senator Lawal Adamu Usman in its entirety. It is a self-serving attempt to weaponize international judicial processes for cheap political gain. Governor Uba Sani is neither guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, nor aggression. What we are confronted with is nothing more than an attempt to cry wolf where none exists.”