Abdullahi Yahaya Abubakar
Abdullahi Yahaya Abubakar is a Nigerian politician who contested the 2019 Senate Elections as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Kebbi.
Biography
Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi (born 10 December 1950) is a Nigerian politician and an associate professor. He is the Senator representing Kebbi North Senatorial District of Kebbi State at the 9th National Assembly. He was Senate Majority Leader of the Nigerian 9th National Assembly.
He began his early education at the Dankoji Primary School, Argungu, from 1959 to 1964; after which he attended the Nagarta College, Sokoto, from 1965 to 1969.
Yahaya attended the School of Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, from 1970 to 1971 and continued in the same university to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in social sciences, and a Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D., in rural sociology from 1976 to 1983.
Abdullahi also holds the Certificate of Development Oriented Research in Agriculture, ICRA, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 1985.
Prior to his engagement in the Nigerian Civil Service and later politics, Abdullahi was a busy academic at the Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the University of Lagos, during which he held various teaching and research positions, including Honorary Research Fellow in Medical Social Work, (Institute of Child Health, University of Lagos), 1974–1975.
He served as Graduate Assistant, Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from January to September 1976; Assistant Research Fellow (October 1976 to September 1978); Research Fellow 2 (October 1978 to 1981); Research Fellow 1 (October 1981 to September 1987); and Senior Research Fellow (October 1987 to September 1990).
He taught Rural Sociology, Agricultural Institutions, Extension, Rural Community Institutions, and Economic Development at the Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from 1976 to 1990.
As the head of the Department, he supervised or co-supervised many masters and doctorate programs, coordinating both teaching and research programs of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
He undertook Rural Development Research independently, jointly, and as a member of multidisciplinary teams, both within and outside Nigeria.
In the 2015 elections, Abdullahi contested and won the Kebbi North Senatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In the February 23, 2019 elections, he was announced the winner of the Kebbi North Senatorial District election, polling 170,624 votes, while Usman Bello Suru of the PDP polled 66,815 votes.
On 3 June 2019, he was announced as the 9th National Assembly Senate Majority Leader.
On 8 June 2022, he officially left the All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to recontest his present seat at the Senate.
He holds several Senate committee positions, including Vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation, Vice-chairman of the Senate Committee on FERMA, Member of the Senate Committee on Public Account, Finance, Niger Delta, Land Transport, Petroleum Downstream, and Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND.
In October 2022, a Nigerian National Honour of Commander Of The Order Of The Niger (CON) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Party Positions
Policy positions from the All Progressives Congress (APC) party manifesto.
Agriculture
Launches the Irrigate Nigeria Project as a public-private partnership to develop small-scale irrigation and water catchment systems using modern technology to boost agricultural productivity.
Security & Defense
Will deploy modern aerial surveillance and advanced technology to monitor and deter intrusions into oil pipelines, power stations, and other critical national infrastructure in real time.
Environment & Climate
Accelerates the environmental cleanup and re-establishment of fisheries and profitable aquacultural activities in the Niger-Delta region to counter violent extremism and poverty-driven disaffection.
Economy & Trade
Will implement the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and additional favorable policies to attract investment in deep-water assets within 6 months, including encouraging signature bonus negotiations and royalty reliefs.
Infrastructure
Creates regional industrial hubs in specific zones (North West, North East, South East, South South, South West, North Central) to focus on labor-intensive manufacturing, with tailored investments (e.g., textiles, dry ports, glass, pottery, solid minerals, regulated mining).
Enterprise grant support
Work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to simplify loan processes for commercial banks, mandate federally owned banks to provide low-cost loans to youth-led enterprises, and expand business incubation centers to support youth innovation.
Energy
Will mandate gas metering equipment on all facilities where gas flaring occurs within 6 months and establish a special enforcement unit to monitor compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) on gas flaring reduction, with non-compliance leading to financial penalties for affected communities.
Governance & Reform
Reserve at least 3 cabinet positions for individuals under 40 and 6 more positions for members under the age of 40, and mandate that at least 20% of political appointments to Ministries/Dangomas (MDAs) be reserved for individuals under 40.
Education
Raises the priority of addressing out-of-school children, establishes a task force to review and strengthen programs like school feeding, and aims to reduce disaffected youth recruitment by violent groups.
Healthcare
Will establish a network of upgraded, equipped, and staffed general hospitals in every Local Government Area, tertiary facilities in each State, and world-class specialist hospitals in each geo-political zone to improve healthcare accessibility and quality.
Technology & Digital
Supports the development of MSMEs through partnerships with fintech players to expand access to capital and business development services.
Reliefs and scholarships
Commits to a conditional income support program requiring recipients to meet human capital goals (school attendance, healthcare, nutrition) in exchange for payments.
Follow the 2027 race
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