A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, Hon. Yusuf Ali (Rabagardama), has strongly condemned the petition filed at the International Criminal Court (ICC), The Hague, by the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The petition, which calls for the arrest of Governor Uba Sani over alleged persecution, abuse of power, and crimes against democracy during the August 16, 2025 by-elections, has been described as “frivolous, mischievous, and politically motivated.”
In a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja, Hon. Ali dismissed the allegations as false and self-serving.
“The so-called petition filed by Senator Usman is vexatious, a false representation of facts, and clearly self-serving. It is intended to mislead the public and discredit a sitting governor whose only crime, in their eyes, is his rising popularity and the overwhelming confidence reposed in him by the people of Kaduna State,” Hon. Ali stated.
He further described the claim that Governor Uba Sani ordered the arrest of opposition politicians during the by-elections as pure fabrication.
“The assertion that Governor Uba Sani used security operatives to arrest opposition politicians in the wake of the by-election exists only in the warped imagination of Senator Usman. The governor has neither the mandate nor the constitutional powers to deploy security forces against political opponents. The attempt to hang this falsehood on him is mischievous and should be disregarded in its entirety,” he added.
Hon. Ali emphasized that those who seek to accuse others of injustice must themselves be above reproach.
He stressed that Senator Usman’s integrity has long been soiled by numerous complaints from people both within and outside Kaduna State regarding conducts unbecoming of a Senator of the Federal Republic. He added that those were not idle allegations as some of them were so weighty that they led to Senator Usman invitations and scrutiny by anti-corruption agencies.
Hon. Ali said it is therefore ironic, if not hypocritical, for such a person to attempt to wear the toga of a defender of democracy when his own record is mired in controversies and questionable dealings.
“Anyone who seeks equity must come with clean hands. Unfortunately, the credibility of Senator Usman is questionable and his character is tainted by actions that have not gone unnoticed by the people of Kaduna State. He cannot now turn around to play the victim,” Hon. Ali declared.
He urged both the ICC and citizens of Kaduna State to see through what he described as a “cheap political stunt” designed to distract from the PDP’s dwindling influence and poor performance in the state.
“Kaduna people are politically enlightened and cannot be swayed by such gimmicks. The governor remains committed to the development of the state and to strengthening democracy, not undermining it,” Hon. Ali concluded