Former Senator representing Adamawa Northern Zone, Senator Ishaku Abbo, has described his controversial removal from the Senate by the Appeal Court as a “blessing in disguise.”
Speaking to journalists in Yola on Monday, Abbo reflected on how the ruling, while initially seen as a setback, became an unexpected opportunity for personal growth and family time.
The Appeal Court in Abuja had ruled against the senator, effectively ending his tenure. However, Abbo said the ruling allowed him to reconnect with his family, leading to a personal milestone: the birth of two children from his two wives within two months.
“I never had a child in my life until the unholy court ruling that sent me back home. So, I think the judgment was in my interest. When God wants to bless you, he uses your enemies to bless you,” Abbo remarked.
He also urged others to make time for family, saying, “Money is not everything in life. Just imagine me staying at the Senate for eight years without a child; so the money is for who?”
Beyond his reflections on family, Abbo revealed he has proposed an ambitious economic plan to President Bola Tinubu to reduce the price of petrol. His strategy, if approved, aims to lower the cost of fuel from over N1000 per litre to N480 by February 2025.
He expressed confidence in the proposal’s potential to ease the burden of high living costs currently affecting millions of Nigerians.
Abbo’s proposal arrives at a challenging time for the country, following a recent collapse of the national power grid that left much of northern Nigeria without electricity for weeks.
The senator highlighted the need for state and federal collaboration on infrastructure projects, specifically calling on Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to upgrade the Kiri Dam in Shelleng LGA into a power-generating facility capable of supplying at least 35MW to Adamawa State and nearby regions.
In a pointed critique of recent state government priorities, Abbo urged a shift from flyover projects to initiatives directly impacting rural communities.
“People are suffering, people are dying of hunger every day, and crime is on the rise due to poverty and a lack of legitimate job opportunities, especially for the youth,” he said, voicing deep concern for the region’s economic hardships.
“My heart bleeds when I see people roaming to find food unsuccessfully for their families,” Abbo stated, emphasizing the urgency for policies that address the root causes of poverty and provide sustainable economic relief for Nigerians.