Abdullahi Yahaya Abubakar

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.