Legal
Abubakar began to work at a law firm in Jakarta after receiving his bachelor's. In 2006,he left the firm to establish his own practice. In 2015,he received a master's degree in law from Pancasila,and in 2024 he received a doctorate from Trisakti University. [1]
Abubakar's clients as a lawyer included a number of regional leaders, [2] one of which was Acehnese politician and two-time governor Irwandi Yusuf. Abubakar represented Yusuf in a dispute related to the 2012 Aceh gubernatorial election at the Constitutional Court (MK),where Yusuf's lawsuit failed and his opponent Zaini Abdullah's election as governor was upheld. [4] He again represented Yusuf after the 2017 Aceh gubernatorial election,and the MK sided with Yusuf in the dispute to uphold his victory in the election. [5] [6] Abubakar had also previously represented Yusuf in 2011 (related to an election delay) and the Aceh Sovereignty Party in 2009. [2]
Politics
When Yusuf updated the name and leadership of his founded political party the National Aceh Party into the Nanggroe Aceh Party (PNA) in 2017,Abubakar became a member of the party's supreme council as secretary. [7] In 2019,following Yusuf's arrest by the Corruption Eradication Commission,PNA held an extraordinary congress to elect a new chairman,but Abubakar refused to recognize the congress' legitimacy. The Ministry of Law and Human Rights ultimately did not recognize the new leadership,and Yusuf remained chairman of the party even as he was in jail. [8] [9] While in prison,Irwandi signed a recommendation later as PNA chairman in March 2021,endorsing Abubakar to become the new vice governor (the previous vice governor,Nova Iriansyah,replaced him). [10] His recommendation was rejected by some PNA leaders and other coalition parties,and the position of Aceh's vice governor remained vacant until the end of Nova's term in 2022. [11] [12]
In 2024,Abubakar registered to run as mayor of Lhokseumawe,receiving support from PNA,the Aceh Party,PKB,Demokrat,and PPP. Husaini Pom,a former Free Aceh Movement fighter and Aceh Party member,became his running mate. [13] [14] They were elected with 34,962 votes (38.2%) in a four-way race. [15] They were sworn in on 17 February 2025. [16]
