Prior to his governorship, he also served as the deputy to the preceding Governor of Kano, Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi, who held office from 1979 to 1983.
[2] Abdu Dawakin Tofa earned a Higher Diploma from the School of Agriculture, Samaru, Zaria.
[4] The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) split into Santsi (Imodu) and Tabo Factions.
[5] He was instrumental in establishing the Kano Agricultural Research Development Authority – KNARDA – with the goal of "the total emancipation of the common man from hunger, disease, poverty and squalor".
[6] After the military government of General Muhammadu Buhari took power in the 1983 Nigeria coup d'etat, Tofa was put on trial by a special tribunal and was jailed for 21 years for offences that included receiving a ₦265,000 kickback for a ₦3.5 million contract awarded to Ashab construction company.