Reps amend Electoral Act, propose N10m fine, 2-year jail term for dual party membership

Abuja-The House of Representatives yesterday amended the Electoral Act 2026 to criminalise dual membership of political parties, prescribing a fine of N10 million or a maximum of two years imprisonment for offenders

The amendment, contained in a bill seeking to strengthen provisions on political party membership, was passed during plenary, after lawmakers considered it at the committee of the whole.

The legislation introduces three new subsections to Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, which deals with political party membership, making it unlawful for any individual to belong to more than one political party at the same time.

Under the new provision, any person found to be registered in more than one political party simultaneously will have such membership declared void.

“A person shall not be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time,” the provision stated.

It further provided that where it was established that where a person held dual membership, such membership would be invalidated, while the individual would cease to be recognised as a valid member of any political party until the situation was regularised in accordance with the Electoral Act and the constitution of the affected political party.

The amendment also prescribed stiff penalties for violators, thus:  “A person who knowingly registers or maintains membership in more than one political party at the same time commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N10,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of two years, or both,” the bill provided.

During debate on the amendment, lawmakers argued that the practice of belonging to multiple political parties undermined political integrity, creating complications during party primaries and candidate nominations.

Abubakar Fulata( APC- Jigawa), however, raised constitutional concerns, noting that denying a person membership of two parties could conflict with Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees freedom of association. 

He suggested that the law should instead limit citizens to membership in only one political party at a time.

Other lawmakers strongly backed the amendment, describing dual party membership as dishonest and a form of political misrepresentation.

“You cannot put your legs in two different houses at the same time. For the sake of moral justice and honesty, you should belong to one political party at any given time,” one member said.

Culled from vanguard