2027 · GubernatorialAPC
Abba Kabir Yusuf & Garo Murtala Sule
- Abba Kabir Yusuf’s role
- Candidate
- Race
- Kano
- Campaign status
- Active campaign record
No reviewed manifesto or campaign document with a source link is available here yet.
Current office
Abba Kabir Yusuf
Governor of Kano State
This term: 29 May 2023–present
THE PERSON- State
- Kano
- Country
- Nigeria
Current party · membership recordAll Progressives CongressAPCHow to reach
Each line shows where it comes from. A listed contact is not proof it is answered or current.
- Office address
- Not yet on record
- All Progressives Congress (APC) national secretariat: No. 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse II, Abuja, Nigeria. This is the party’s office, not this person’s.Suggest one
Public channelsX · @Kyusufabba (opens in a new tab)
Public life, in context
The record
over time.
Abba Kabir Yusuf (born 5 January 1963, Gaya, Kano State) is the Governor of Kano State, in office since 29 May 2023, and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the election of 6 February 2027 (INEC final list, 10 October 2026), with Deputy Governor Murtala Sule Garo as running mate (named 13 July 2026). He was elected in March 2023 on the New Nigeria Peoples Party and moved to the APC on 26 January 2026 after…
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Abba Kabir Yusuf (born 5 January 1963, Gaya, Kano State) is the Governor of Kano State, in office since 29 May 2023, and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the election of 6 February 2027 (INEC final list, 10 October 2026), with Deputy Governor Murtala Sule Garo as running mate (named 13 July 2026). He was elected in March 2023 on the New Nigeria Peoples Party and moved to the APC on 26 January 2026 after resigning from the NNPP (effective 25 January 2026); the APC affirmed him as its consensus candidate on 21 May 2026. A civil engineer by training (ND Federal Polytechnic Mubi 1985, HND Kaduna Polytechnic 1989, then a postgraduate diploma and MBA at Bayero University Kano), he worked in Kano's water agencies before becoming an aide to Rabiu Kwankwaso from 1999, chairing the board of the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (2009-2011) and serving as Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport under Kwankwaso (2011-2015). He was the PDP candidate in 2019 (primary 2 October 2018) and lost to Abdullahi Ganduje after an inconclusive 9 March poll and a 23 March supplementary election (1,024,713 votes to 1,033,695); his petition was dismissed by the tribunal, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court (20 January 2020). He moved to the NNPP on 27 March 2022 and won the 18 March 2023 election with 1,019,602 votes (51.55%). The petition tribunal sacked him on 20 September 2023 and the Court of Appeal affirmed on 17 November 2023, but the Supreme Court restored his election on 12 January 2024.
01 → 02 → 03
What happened. What was said.
What the evidence establishes.
Start with the questionsWhat should
What should
citizens know?
Read the role, the response and the outcome together.
Seeking public office
The campaign on record.
A campaign and a term in office are different parts of the story.
Follow the chapters
A life in the public record.
33 linked entries · 46 distinct source links
Review dates are separate from event dates.
33 entries · Whole record
1963
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDEarly lifeProfile record
Born
Abba Kabir Yusuf was born on 5 Jan 1963.
1968
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDEducation & qualificationsReviewed record
Sumaila Primary School
Primary school certificate
- Location
- Sumaila, Kano State
- Institution
- Primary
Graduation stated in the linked record. This does not by itself authenticate an original certificate.
1980
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDEducation & qualificationsReviewed record
Government Secondary School, Lautai (Gumel)
Secondary school certificate
- Location
- Gumel, Jigawa State
- Institution
- Secondary
Graduation stated in the linked record. This does not by itself authenticate an original certificate.
1985
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDEducation & qualificationsReviewed record
Federal Polytechnic, Mubi
National Diploma (ND) · Civil Engineering
- Location
- Mubi, Adamawa State
- Institution
- Polytechnic
Graduation stated in the linked record. This does not by itself authenticate an original certificate.
1989
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDEducation & qualificationsReviewed record
Kaduna Polytechnic
Higher National Diploma (HND) · Civil Engineering (Water Resources / Environmental Engineering)
- Location
- Kaduna
- Institution
- Polytechnic
Graduation stated in the linked record. This does not by itself authenticate an original certificate.
Working lifeReviewed record
National Youth Service Corps member
Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA)
- Industry
- Environmental protection
Mandatory one-year NYSC posting after the HND. End year 1990 inferred from "one-year".
1999
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDWorking lifeReviewed record
Personal Assistant, later Special Assistant (Administration)
Office of the Governor of Kano State (Rabiu Kwankwaso, first term)
- Industry
- Government
- Employment
- Employee
Political aide to then Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
2003
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDWorking lifeReviewed record
Aide to the Minister
Federal Ministry of Defence (Minister Rabiu Kwankwaso)
- Industry
- Government
- Employment
- Employee
Continued as Kwankwaso's aide after he became a federal minister in 2003.
2007
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDWorking lifeReviewed record
Special Assistant to the Special Adviser
Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Darfur/Somalia
- Industry
- Government
- Employment
- Employee
Federal presidency post held until 2007; start year not found.
2009
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDWorking lifeReviewed record
Chairman, Governing Board
National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), Ondo
- Industry
- Education administration
Federal board appointment by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.
2011
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDWorking lifeReviewed record
First Principal Private Secretary
Office of the Governor of Kano State (Rabiu Kwankwaso, second term)
- Industry
- Government
- Employment
- Employee
Second Kwankwaso administration; end year not found (became Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport).
Working lifeReviewed record
Commissioner
Kano State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport
- Industry
- Government
Commissioner in the Kwankwaso administration (a commissioner is an appointed official, not a role-table position). Exact start and end days not found; 2015 end follows the administration's term.
2018
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDParty primaryReviewed record
2019 Governorship primary
Peoples Democratic Party · Kano
- Primary result
- Won
- What this establishes
- A party-stage result, not election to public office
- Votes
- 2,421
- Recorded winner
- Abba Kabir Yusuf
PDP governorship primary held at the Lugard Avenue residence of party leader Rabiu Kwankwaso. 2,421 of 4,130 accredited delegates; Jafar Sani Bello 1,258, Muhammad Sadiq Wali 167, Salihu Sagir Takai 95, Ibrahim El Amin 51, Akilu Sani Indabawa 33; 105 voided votes. Running mate in the general election: Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
2019
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDElection participationReviewed record
2019 Governorship election
Peoples Democratic Party · Kano
- Result
- Lost
- Votes
- 1,024,713
- Recorded winner
- Abdullahi Umar Ganduje
Polled 9 March 2019, declared inconclusive; supplementary election 23 March 2019; INEC declared Ganduje winner on 24 March 2019 (1,033,695 votes against Yusuf's 1,024,713, margin 8,982). Running mate: Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo. Yusuf challenged the result: tribunal 2 October 2019, Court of Appeal (Kaduna) 22 November 2019, Supreme Court 20 January 2020 all upheld Ganduje. Vote…
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Polled 9 March 2019, declared inconclusive; supplementary election 23 March 2019; INEC declared Ganduje winner on 24 March 2019 (1,033,695 votes against Yusuf's 1,024,713, margin 8,982). Running mate: Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo. Yusuf challenged the result: tribunal 2 October 2019, Court of Appeal (Kaduna) 22 November 2019, Supreme Court 20 January 2020 all upheld Ganduje. Vote percentage not computed (total valid votes not sourced).
2020
IN THE PUBLIC RECORD Electoral caseDismissed
The record
Governorship election challenge
Read the full case title
2019 Kano State governorship election petition — Abba Kabir Yusuf (PDP) challenge to Abdullahi Ganduje's election, dismissed by the Supreme Court on 20 January 2020
- Role in this matter
- Claimant
- Record type
- Adjudicated
- Court / authority
- Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal; Court of Appeal (Kaduna); Supreme Court of Nigeria
Being named in a court record does not by itself establish wrongdoing. A claimant, respondent and legal representative have different roles.
Response on record
No separate response is linked. Read the court outcome and the original sources for the full account.
Last documented outcome
Dismissed
Yusuf and the PDP challenged Ganduje's election, arguing that the returning officer had no power to cancel results in 207 polling units and declare the 9 March 2019 poll inconclusive. The tribunal (panel led by Justice Halima Shamaki) dismissed the petition on 2 October 2019, finding that INEC was right to declare the poll inconclusive and to declare Ganduje winner of the rerun; the Court of Appeal affirmed on 22 November 2019; a seven-member Supreme Court panel unanimously dismissed his appeal on 20 January 2020.
Dated entries in this matter 1 entry
- Outcome recorded · Dismissed
Yusuf and the PDP challenged Ganduje's election, arguing that the returning officer had no power to cancel results in 207 polling units and declare the 9 March 2019 poll inconclusive. The tribunal (panel led by Justice Halima Shamaki) dismissed the petition on 2 October 2019, finding that INEC was right to declare the poll inconclusive and to declare Ganduje winner of the rerun; the Court of Appeal affirmed on 22 November 2019; a seven-member Supreme Court panel unanimously…
Read the full account
Yusuf and the PDP challenged Ganduje's election, arguing that the returning officer had no power to cancel results in 207 polling units and declare the 9 March 2019 poll inconclusive. The tribunal (panel led by Justice Halima Shamaki) dismissed the petition on 2 October 2019, finding that INEC was right to declare the poll inconclusive and to declare Ganduje winner of the rerun; the Court of Appeal affirmed on 22 November 2019; a seven-member Supreme Court panel unanimously dismissed his appeal on 20 January 2020.
2022
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDParty primaryReviewed record
2023 Governorship primary
New Nigeria Peoples Party · Kano
- Primary result
- Won
- What this establishes
- A party-stage result, not election to public office
- Recorded winner
- Abba Kabir Yusuf
NNPP consensus candidate (no delegate vote count reported). The Tribune report of Thursday 19 May 2022 refers to "Wednesday's declaration", so the date 18 May 2022 is inferred.
2023
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDAssets & financial disclosuresReviewed record
Asset disclosure record · 2023
As Kano State governor-elect, submitted a completed assets and liabilities declaration form to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Kano office, on Friday 26 May 2023, ahead of his inauguration as Governor of Kano State on 29 May 2023. No monetary value was publicly reported.
- Reported to
- Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Kano office
- Recorded component value
- No amount published in this record
Read the source to distinguish a declaration, a reported submission and an investigation. A component value is not a current net-worth estimate.
Election participationReviewed record
2023 Governorship election
New Nigeria Peoples Party · Kano
- Result
- Won
- Votes
- 1,019,602
- Vote share
- 51.55%
- Recorded winner
- Abba Kabir Yusuf
INEC declared Abba Kabir Yusuf (NNPP) winner of the Kano State governorship election held on 18 March 2023; Returning Officer Prof. Ahmad Doko Ibrahim announced the result on 20 March 2023 with Yusuf polling 1,019,602 votes (51.55%) against APC's Nasir Yusuf Gawuna (890,705) and PDP's Sadiq Wali (15,957). The Supreme Court upheld his election in January 2024. · Petition by APC…
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INEC declared Abba Kabir Yusuf (NNPP) winner of the Kano State governorship election held on 18 March 2023; Returning Officer Prof. Ahmad Doko Ibrahim announced the result on 20 March 2023 with Yusuf polling 1,019,602 votes (51.55%) against APC's Nasir Yusuf Gawuna (890,705) and PDP's Sadiq Wali (15,957). The Supreme Court upheld his election in January 2024. · Petition by APC candidate Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna: tribunal sacked him on 20 September 2023 and the Court of Appeal affirmed on 17 November 2023; the Supreme Court restored his election on 12 January 2024. Running mate: Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
ElectedProfile record
Governor
Kano
- Status
- Current term
- Party on this record
- APC
- Term
- Kano Governorship Cycle 2023-2027
2024
IN THE PUBLIC RECORD Electoral caseDismissed
The record
Governorship election challenge
Read the full case title
2023 Kano State governorship election petition — APC candidate Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna's challenge to Abba Kabir Yusuf's election, dismissed by the Supreme Court on 12 January 2024
- Role in this matter
- Role not specified
- Record type
- Record type not specified
- Court / authority
- Supreme Court of Nigeria (on appeal from the Court of Appeal and the Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal)
Being named in a court record does not by itself establish wrongdoing. A claimant, respondent and legal representative have different roles.
Response on record
No separate response is linked. Read the court outcome and the original sources for the full account.
Last documented outcome
Dismissed
The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal nullified Abba Kabir Yusuf's election in September 2023, deducted 165,616 votes credited to him on the ground that the ballot papers were not stamped, signed and dated as required by the Electoral Act, and declared APC candidate Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna the winner of the 18 March 2023 Kano governorship election. A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal affirmed the tribunal's decision and additionally held that Yusuf was not a valid member of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) at…
Read the full account
The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal nullified Abba Kabir Yusuf's election in September 2023, deducted 165,616 votes credited to him on the ground that the ballot papers were not stamped, signed and dated as required by the Electoral Act, and declared APC candidate Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna the winner of the 18 March 2023 Kano governorship election. A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal affirmed the tribunal's decision and additionally held that Yusuf was not a valid member of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) at the time of the election, hence not validly sponsored. On 12 January 2024, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment led by Justice John Inyang Okoro, allowed Yusuf's appeal, set aside the concurrent decisions of the two lower courts, restored the deducted votes, held that the nomination of a candidate is exclusively the internal affair of a political party and is not justiciable, and affirmed Abba Kabir Yusuf as the duly elected Governor of Kano State.
Dated entries in this matter 1 entry
- Outcome recorded · Dismissed
The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal nullified Abba Kabir Yusuf's election in September 2023, deducted 165,616 votes credited to him on the ground that the ballot papers were not stamped, signed and dated as required by the Electoral Act, and declared APC candidate Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna the winner of the 18 March 2023 Kano governorship election. A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal affirmed the tribunal's decision and additionally held that Yusuf was…
Read the full account
The Kano State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal nullified Abba Kabir Yusuf's election in September 2023, deducted 165,616 votes credited to him on the ground that the ballot papers were not stamped, signed and dated as required by the Electoral Act, and declared APC candidate Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna the winner of the 18 March 2023 Kano governorship election. A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal affirmed the tribunal's decision and additionally held that Yusuf was not a valid member of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) at the time of the election, hence not validly sponsored. On 12 January 2024, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment led by Justice John Inyang Okoro, allowed Yusuf's appeal, set aside the concurrent decisions of the two lower courts, restored the deducted votes, held that the nomination of a candidate is exclusively the internal affair of a political party and is not justiciable, and affirmed Abba Kabir Yusuf as the duly elected Governor of Kano State.
2025
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDHonours & recognitionReviewed record
African Governor of the Year for Good Governance
Honoured as the African Governor of the Year for Good Governance at the 14th African Leadership Magazine (ALM) Persons of the Year 2025 ceremony held at the Marriott Hotel, Casablanca, Morocco, in February 2025, in recognition of his exceptional leadership in promoting transparency, accountability and inclusive governance in Kano State; Governor Yusuf was represented at the event by his Special Adviser on State Affairs, Alhaji Usman Bala.
- Awarded by
- African Leadership Magazine (ALM)
- Category
- African Governor of the Year
An award records recognition; it is not an independent measure of performance.
2026
IN THE PUBLIC RECORDParty membershipReviewed record
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Elected governor in 2023 on the NNPP; resigned NNPP membership (letter effective Sunday 25 January 2026) and joined the All Progressives Congress on Monday 26 January 2026; APC governorship candidate for the 6 February 2027 election.
Current affiliation in the reviewed membership record.
Party primaryReviewed record
2027 Governorship primary
All Progressives Congress · Kano
- Primary result
- Won
- What this establishes
- A party-stage result, not election to public office
- Recorded winner
- Abba Kabir Yusuf
INEC final list of candidates (Governorship, Kano State), published 2026-10-10 — SN 6; INEC name: YUSUF ABBA KABIR; age 63; male; qualification (as declared to INEC): PRIMARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE GCE / O - LEVEL MASTERS DEGREE - BUSINESS MANAGEMENT; running mate: Garo Murtala Sule · APC primary: Thursday 21 May 2026 at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano; consensus affirmation as sole…
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INEC final list of candidates (Governorship, Kano State), published 2026-10-10 — SN 6; INEC name: YUSUF ABBA KABIR; age 63; male; qualification (as declared to INEC): PRIMARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE GCE / O - LEVEL MASTERS DEGREE - BUSINESS MANAGEMENT; running mate: Garo Murtala Sule · APC primary: Thursday 21 May 2026 at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano; consensus affirmation as sole candidate (no vote count reported), declared by primary committee chairman Muntari Shagari; motion by Senator Barau Jibrin, seconded by Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila. Elected on the NNPP in 2023; resigned from the NNPP (effective 25 January 2026) and joined the APC on 26 January 2026. Running mate Murtala Sule Garo (Deputy Governor since 5 May 2026) named 13 July 2026. · INEC list check (2026-10-20): the original parser misattributed qualification between this ticket's candidate and running mate; the correct reading of this person's cell on the rendered PDF is: PRIMARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE GCE / O - LEVEL MASTERS DEGREE - BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
Dates not recorded
KEPT OUTSIDE THE DATED CHRONOLOGYParty membershipReviewed record
All Progressives Congress (APC)
Earlier membership of the APC (with the Kwankwasiyya movement) that ended in 2018 when the movement moved to the PDP; joining date not found. Distinct from his current APC membership from 26 January 2026.
An end date is not recorded for this membership.
Education & qualificationsReviewed record
Bayero University, Kano
Master of Business Administration (MBA) · Business Administration
- Location
- Kano
- Institution
- University
Graduation stated in the linked record. This does not by itself authenticate an original certificate.
Education & qualificationsReviewed record
Bayero University, Kano
Postgraduate Diploma in Management · Management
- Location
- Kano
- Institution
- University
Graduation stated in the linked record. This does not by itself authenticate an original certificate.
Working lifeReviewed record
Engineer
Kano State Water Resources Engineering and Construction Agency (WRECA)
- Industry
- Water resources engineering
Started his professional career as an engineer with the Kano State Water Resources Engineering and Construction Agency (WRECA), holding various positions, before moving to the Kano State Ministry of Water Resources.
Working lifeReviewed record
Engineer (various positions)
Kano State Ministry of Water Resources
- Industry
- Water resources engineering
- Employment
- Employee
Moved from WRECA and the Kano State Water Board to the state Ministry of Water Resources, holding various positions before entering politics. Years not found.
Education & qualificationsReviewed record
Government Secondary School, Dawakin Tofa
Secondary education
- Location
- Dawakin Tofa, Kano State
- Institution
- Secondary
Attendance recorded; qualification not completed.
Party membershipReviewed record
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
NNPP member from 27 March 2022 (defected from the PDP with other Kwankwasiyya movement members) and the party on whose ticket he won the 2023 governorship election. Resigned by letter to his ward chairman, effective Sunday 25 January 2026 (announced Friday 23 January); joined the APC on 26 January 2026.
Party membershipReviewed record
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
PDP member from 2018 (joined with the Kwankwasiyya movement after leaving the APC; exact joining day not found); won the PDP governorship primary on 2 October 2018 and contested the 2019 election; defected to the NNPP on 27 March 2022.
Public family connectionReviewed record
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso
Father in law
- Context
- A family relationship alone does not establish influence or wrongdoing
Former Governor of Kano State (1999-2003 and 2011-2015), Senator for Kano Central (2015-2019) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate in 2023; father of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf's wife, making Kwankwaso the Governor's father-in-law.
Public family connectionReviewed record
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso
In law
- Context
- A family relationship alone does not establish influence or wrongdoing
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The Kano State purse
As Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf presides over Kano State's public finances.
Kano State's approved budget for 2026 is ₦1,477,829,666,131 (about ₦1.5T).
Kano State budget 2026Kano State received ₦185,081,534,929 (about ₦185.1B) in FAAC federal allocations between January and July 2026.
Kano State FAAC allocations 2026Help improve the record
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