Talba gained a diploma in Public Administration and entered the Yobe State Civil Service.
He was appointed chairman of the Board of Management, Federal Medical Centre, Alare, Director of NNDC, Kaduna and Commissioner of Health for Yobe State.
[2] He was a vocal critic of Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Geidam, accusing him of squandering money.
[3] In December 2009, Talba said that the democratic process was working normally, and criticized recent moves by opposition politicians to form a "mega party" in opposition to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
[4] In March 2010 he denied a media report that former Yobe Central Senator Usman Albishir, who had recently decamped from the ANPP to the PDP, would automatically get a ticket from the party to contest the 2011 governorship election.