Alh. Abba K. Yusuf was born in Gaya Local Government Area of Kano State on 5th January 1963. He started his western education in 1969 at Sumaila primary school and later completed his secondary school at Government Secondary school Lautai in Gumel Local Government Area of the defunct Kano State (now Jigawa state), where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1980.
Abba Yusuf later gained admission into the Federal Polytechnic Mubi in Yola Adamawa State, where he bagged his National Diploma in Civil Engineering in 1985. He later obtained a Higher National Diploma in Civil Engineering with specialization on Water Resources/Environmental Engineering in 1989 at the famous Kaduna Polytechnic and proceeded for his one year National Youth Service Corps Scheme at Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency from 1989 –1990. He is a holder of postgraduate diploma in management, and Masters Degree in Business Administration both from Bayero University Kano.
Alh. Yusuf started his working career with the Kano State Water Resources Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA), Kano State Water Board and later Ministry of Water Resources where he held various positions of leadership. He also held some political appointments as:-
- Assistant Secretary – Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Employees, Kano State 1996 – 1998.
- Deputy Director of Mobilization of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization for youths, women and students movement in 2003.
He was appointed as Personal Assistant to the Kano State Executive Governor and later Special Assistant (Administration) between 1999 – 2003, when he moved to the Ministry of Defence Abuja as the Personal Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Defence from 2003 – 2006. He became Publicity Secretary – forum of Personal Assistants to the Honourable Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 2004 – 2006.
He later became the Special Assistant to the Special Adviser to the President on Darfur/Somalia until 2007. He was also a member of the Kano State PDP Executive Council in 2009 as Ex-Officio I.
Alh. Yusuf was appointed by the late President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alh. Umaru Musa Yar’adua, as the chairman – Governing Board of the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) Ondo in 2009 till 2011.
Since his assumption of office as the chairman of the Institute’s Governing Board; Management, Staff and Community Members have greatly benefited from his visionary and selfless leadership. Within his 4 years tenure as chairman of Board, the following milestones and achievements were recorded by the institute.
1. Ensured the passage of first, second reading of the enabling law by the senate to give legal backing to the institute which has been dormant since 1992 (16 years).
2. Initiated various developmental projects for the institute such as Construction of a Modern office/lodge complex, sporting facilities etc.
3. Provision of a befitting liaison office in Abuja, thereby bringing the institute closer to the centre of power.
4. Restoration of sanity/peace as a result of the lingering crisis within the institute for years.
5. Employment of more management/other staff into the institute.
6. Ensuring full Training for many Educationists and Planners within and outside the country and many more.
In 2011, when Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso won 2nd - Term election as Governor of Kano State, Alh. Abba K. Yusuf was appointed as the First Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to the State Governor, from where he was appointed as the Honourable Commissioner of Works, Housing and Transport and a Member of the State Executive Council. During his reign as Commissioner, Kano State recorded an unprecedented Infrastructural Development throughout the state.
The Government executed so many projects between 2011-2015 through Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport with Alh. Abba K. Yusuf on the stewardship of the Ministry. They include:
1. Construction of 3 nos. Multi Billion Naira Modern Flyovers within Kano Metropolis in four years:-
- Flyover from Technical College to Kofar Nasarawa
- Flyover from Radio Kano across IBB Road along Ibrahim Taiwo Road
- Flyover at Murtala Mohammed Way from Triumph Roundabout to Club Road Junction.
2. Construction of 2 nos. Multi Billion Naira Underpass Roads at Kofar Gadon Kaya and Kofar Kabuga within – metropolis
3. Conversion and construction of Multi Billion Naira covered Sewage Conduit/Road along Jakara-Gogau River, popularly known as Wuju Wuju.
4. Provision, Rehabilitation and Installation of Streetlights along over 114 Metropolitan Roads and Local Government Roads across Kano State
5. Provision and Installation of Modern Traffic Lights along major Road Junctions in the State
6. Construction of a Multi Billion Naira Independent Hydro Power Electricity plant at both Challawa Gorge and Tiga Dams within the state
7. Expansion / Construction (to 3 lanes) of major entrance Roads within Kano Metropolis e.g. – Zaria, Hadeja, Dakata Roads and Sharada Junction – Madobi Bridge Road, etc.
8. Construction of 5km Dual Carriage Roads in all the 44 Local Government Councils of the Statecomplete with streetlights.
9. Reconstruction of over 80 Metropolitan Roads.
10. Construction of Multi Billion Naira 3 New Cities of Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo all provided with necessary infrastructure such as Roads, water supply, lights, recreational facilities, hospitals, schools, worship areas, shopping malls etc.etc.
11. Construction of the Permanent sites of the newly established 22 Entrepreneurial Institutes across the state including Sports Institute at Karfi,Informative Institute at Kura, College of Nursing at Madobi, Post Midwifery College at Gezawa,Journalism Institute etc.etc.
12. Construction of 44 Technical Schools across the state.
13. Construction of 44 Schools of Islamic Studies across the state.
14. Construction of 44 nos. Garment Industries across the state.
15. Construction of Multi Billion Naira Sports Complex at former NAMA site, K/Na’isa.
16. Establishment and Construction of the Multi Billion Naira Permanent Site of the Northwest University Kano. E.g. construction of 2 nos. facilities, Staff Housing Estate, Senate Building Complex, Hostels, Cafeteria, Internal Road Network with Streetlights, Perimeter Wall fence/gates etc.
17. Construction of Overhead Pedestrian Bridges across over 12 roads.
18. Construction of Security gates at strategic locations along major roads leading to the state capital.
19. Construction of a New Challawa Bridge across River Challawa / Road into Panshekara town.
20. Conversion / Completion of the Magwan Water Restaurant 13 Storey Building into First Ladies Girls College.
21. Construction / Relocation of the Former Wudil Technical College to former WRECA workshop at Tiga Town.
22. General Reconstruction / Rehabilitation of the Government House, including new Wall Fence, Gates, Road Network, New Deputy Governor’s office Complex, new 1500 capacity Coronation Hall etc.
23. Establishment of Kano State Roads Maintenance Agency (KARMA).
24. Resuscitation of Kano State Asphalt and Quarry Company.
25. Establishment of Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA).
26. Establishment of Kano Corporate Security Institute.
27. Establishment of 22 Entrepreneurship Institutes.
28. Establishment of the Northwest University Kano.
29. Establishment of Youths Empowerment Scheme e.g;
- Purchase and distribution of 1500 Amana Taxes and Buses to unemployed Youths.
- Purchase and distribution of over 250 New Toyota Luxury Corolla Cars for graduate unemployed youths.
30. Many more other Gigantic Projects executed but not limited to the above.
Alh. Abba K. Yusuf later contested the position of Kano State Central Senatorial Seat in 2014 where he landslidely won the Primary Election on the Platform of the APC, but later withdrew from the Secondary Election Voluntarily. He left the services of the State Government on May 29th 2015 after the expiration of the Four Years tenure of the Kwankwaso Administration and ventured into Personal Business till September 2018.
Alh. Abba K. Yusuf contested and won the Kano State PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election held in August 2018 which he became the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate of the State.
In 2019, Alh. Abba K. Yusuf contested and won the Kano Governorship election under the banner of the PDP. An election which was later manipulated in favour of the ruling APC.
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