Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya was born on October 9, 1961, in Jekadafari, Gombe State. His father, Umaru, was a Hausa businessman. He obtained his primary School leaving certificate from Central Primary School in 1974. He had his secondary education at the Government Science Secondary Gombe between 1974 and 1979 where he obtained his secondary school Leaving Certificate and West African School Certificate respectively. He has a Bachelor of Science BSc in Accounting from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1983. He served at the Nigeria Bank for Commerce and Industry in Yola, Adamawa State for the mandatory NYSC. He was the flag bearer of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Gombe State. On October 1, 2018, he won the Gombe State gubernatorial All Progressive Congress primary election with the highest votes on March 9, 2019, Yahaya was declared as the Governor-elect of Gombe State at the 2019 Gombe State gubernatorial election.