Abba Kabir Yusuf (born 5 January 1963) is a Nigerian politician who is the governor-elect of Kano State. He served as a commissioner in the executive council of Kano State from 2011 to 2015. In 2023, he was elected governor of Kano State.

Background

Abba ibn Muhammadu Kabir is from the Sullubawa part of Genawa Clan of the Fulani, on the maternal side he is related to Walin Zazzau Sheikh Umarul Wali ibn Galadiman Zazzau Malam Ahmadu, his paternal grandmother Zainab ibna Malam Saidu Limamin Huggalawa is from the family of Limamin Huggalawa in Bichi, his maternal grandmother Khadijat Naja’atu is related to Gwani Mukhtar who was the leader of the Fulani Jihad in the Kanem-Bornu Empire.

Education

Abba was born in Gaya local government area of Kano State, Nigeria. He went to Sumaila primary school and later to Government Secondary school Lautai, Gumel Local Government Area (now Jigawa State), where he graduated with First School Leaving Certificate in 1980. Later on, he got admitted into Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, where he obtained his national diploma in civil engineering in 1985.

He later obtained a higher national diploma in civil engineering, and certificate and specialization on water resources/environmental engineering in 1989 from Kaduna Polytechnic, he did his National Youth Service Corps at Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency from 1989 to 1990. He is also a holder of postgraduate diploma in management, and obtained master’s degree in business administration from Bayero University Kano.

Political career

Abba was the formal Commissioner of Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport (Kano State), Abba contested in 2019 gubernatorial election held in 2019, and he was defeated by the current governor of Kano State Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. Abba took the case to court to claim himself as the rightful elected governor, after all, the court dismissed the case.

Yusuf Kabir Abba was declared the winner of the 2023 governorship election in Kano state on Monday. The flagbearer of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) beat his arc-rival, Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to claim victory in the state.

From personal assistant to governor-elect — who is Yusuf Abba, the man who will become Kano governor?

Abba was born in the year Nigeria became a republic, in 1963. He was born on January 5, 1963 in Gaya LGA of Kano state. He would later attend Sumaila primary school and government secondary school Lautai in the old Kano state.

His secondary education was in Gumel LGA, which is now in Jigawa State. Upon graduation from government secondary school in 1980, he went on to the federal polytechnic, Mubi, where he obtained his national diploma in civil engineering in 1985.

He went on to specialise in water resources/environmental engineering in 1989 at Kaduna Polytechnic. Upon graduation, he served in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency from 1989 to 1990.

On May 29, 2023, he will become the second Water Engineer to be governor of Kano state in the fourth republic.