Reps majority leader receives 28th child, aims for 30 before 2023

Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, had welcomed his 28th child, saying 30 is the goal before 2023.

Ado-Doguwa, said he plans to have up to 30 children before 2023 elections in order to to have a polling unit allocated to his private home in accordance to the amendments to the Electoral Act 2020.

The drama began at the opening of the day’s plenary when the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, asked the Majority Leader if he had any personal explanation or announcement to make.

While Ado-Doguwa said there was none, the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, announced that the Majority Leader just had a new child.

Elumelu said, “Mr Speaker, mine is to congratulate my brother, the Leader of the House. He currently has 28 children and still counting. He just received double a few days ago. That made it 28. It was 26, now 28.”

Gbajabiamila asked the Majority Leader to defend himself, saying he did not understand what Elumelu was saying.

Ado-Doguwa said, “Mr Speaker, I didn’t know that you were talking about me. This is no longer news. It is no longer news because this thing happened in the last 24 hours. It is true that my beloved family had gotten an additional one person, not two like you (Elumelu) said. And it is a baby girl, bouncing.

“The mother and the baby are hale and hearty. The husband is still active; I am here. And I thank God that I kept to my words to the House of Reps; that while I had 27, I promised you that I would continue counting. I want you to know, by the grace of God and your prayer, that the count will continue. Thank you and God bless Nigeria.”

The Majority Leader added, “Now that we are considering the Electoral Act amendment, I will also – when we get to the floor, perhaps at the Committee of the Whole – appeal to my members so that we suspend the relevant rules; we have a clause in the Electoral Act where it permits families that do have 30 kids in their homes to have an electoral polling unit in that family.”

Gbajabiamila asked, “So, Leader, you are working towards (having) a polling unit in your house. Now that you have 28 children, you have two more to go.”

Responding, Ado-Doguwa said, “Yes, between now and 2023, before the election comes, if you allow that, then I will have a polling unit within my home.”

The Speaker thereafter congratulated Ado-Doguwa to which the Majority Leader replied, “Thank you so much, Mr Speaker. I thank you honourable members. Please, the count still continues”.