Ex-Kano Commissioner Garba Yusuf Joins Race for Kano Central Senate Seat
A former Kano State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Garba Yusuf Abubakar, has declared his intention to contest the Kano Central Senatorial seat under the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Abubakar’s entry into the race comes amid growing endorsements from political stakeholders and grassroots support groups across the senatorial district.
Announcing his bid on Sunday, the aspirant said his decision followed sustained pressure and mobilisation by the Tinubu Support Group, which had begun canvassing support for his candidacy prior to his formal consent.
“After careful reflection, I accepted to contest. I urge all my supporters to engage in politics without bitterness or insults,” he stated, while also pledging loyalty to the party and readiness to support whoever emerges as the APC candidate if he does not secure the ticket.
The campaign director, Muntari Ishaq Yakasai, emphasised that the APC had ruled out automatic tickets for aspirants, noting that Abubakar’s ambition was driven by conviction and popular demand. He urged supporters to commence mobilisation efforts, adding that campaign structures would be unveiled in due course.
Yakasai also called on the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to support Abubakar’s bid, citing the need for experienced representation at the National Assembly.
In the same vein, the Director-General of the National Productivity Centre, Baffa Babba Dan-Agundi, described the endorsement of Abubakar by the Tinubu Support Group as recognition of his longstanding contributions to public service. He highlighted the aspirant’s record of service across multiple ministries under former governors Ibrahim Shekarau and Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Political mobilisation has intensified in recent weeks, with groups operating under the Garba Yusuf Abubakar Coordinating Committee holding consultations across the 15 local government areas of Kano Central.
At a stakeholders’ meeting in Gezawa Local Government Area, Abdulkadir Muhammad Kabara, a former education secretary in Kano Municipal and APC ward chairman in Tudun Wuzirci, said the endorsement enjoyed the backing of clerics, social media influencers, and grassroots mobilisers aligned with the Tinubu Support Group.
“This movement is united. For the senatorial seat, we have our candidate in Alhaji Garba Yusuf Abubakar, and we will support him to success,” he said, stressing the group’s commitment to party cohesion and avoidance of internal disputes.
Popularly known as Garba Izala, Abubakar is regarded as a seasoned administrator, having served in key ministries including Information, Environment, Works and Housing, Finance, and Water Resources during the administrations of Shekarau and Ganduje.
Observers note that the growing endorsements and coordinated grassroots mobilisation signal an early buildup to what is expected to be a competitive contest for the Kano Central Senatorial seat, as internal party dynamics begin to take shape ahead of the 2027 elections.
By TimesNG