SECRETARY, INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Secretary to The Commission

Abdullahi A. Kaugama was born in 1955 at Kaugama of Jigawa State. He completed his primary education at Kaugama Central Primary School in 1968. He attended Bichi Teachers College Kano in 1973 where he got his Grade 11 Certificate and subsequently, he obtained his NCE in Bio/AG at ATC ABU Zaria. Abdullahi A. Kaugama later proceeded to Utah State University, U.S.A where he bagged a Bsc. AG Business in 1984. He was also at Bayero University Kano in the year 2000 for a postgraduate Diploma (PGDA) in Public Policy and Administration and also the Usman DanFodio University Sokoto in the year 2002 where he got his Masters in Public Admin. (MPA).

Abdullahi A. Kaugama distinguished himself as a scholar and academician, as observed in his rich and progressive working career. He was a classroom teacher during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) from 1977 to 1978 at Victory High School, Lagos. He taught at Wudil Teachers College Kano between 1978 and 1981. As a teacher, Alhaji Abdullahi A. Kaugama rose to an enviable position of a Vice Principal of Senior Secondary School Rimi, Kano from 1981 to 1986. He further became an inspector of Education in 1985 and subsequently a senior Inspector of Education, a position he held at Kano Educational Resource Department, Kano State till March 1987.

Abdullahi A. Kaugama started his Federal Service Career with the then National Electoral Commission (NEC) as an Electoral Officer in Kano from March 1987 to Nov. 1992; he rose to become the Chief Personal Officer (NEC) Jigawa till April 1994.

In April 1994 he was appointed the Chairman of Kaugama Local Government Care-Taker Committee, a position he held from 1994 to April 1996. In 1996, he was back at the defunct NECON Jigawa State as a Chief Personal Officer till September 1998 when he became the Administrative Secretary. He was later to serve in various capacities such as, Sokoto State Administrative Secretary, from March 1999 to August 2001. He became a Deputy Director (Personnel Management) at INEC Headquarters Abuja in September 2001 and in March 2003 he was once again drafted to Sokoto State INEC office as the Administrative Secretary. December 2003 saw him in INEC Katsina State as the Administrative Secretary Between January 2004 and April 2004; Abdullahi Kaugama was Deputy Director (Admin and Human Resources) at INEC Headquarters Abuja from May 2004 to March 2005.

He was promoted Director on GL 17 while still serving as the Administrative Secretary of INEC Katsina State a position he held until 1^st February 2007, when he was appointed the acting Secretary of the Commission. It is important to state that Abdullahi’s appointment as acting Secretary of the Commission is remarkable as it is the first time the Commission is appointing a Secretary from its serving Staff.

Abdullahi Kaugama has attended many seminars and Courses in Public and Electoral Administration. He has also served in many ad-hoc Committees in various capacities. He is married with Children.