The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved an amendment to the Electoral Act 2026 that seeks to criminalise membership in more than one political party at the same time.
The proposed amendment, which aims to strengthen regulations on political party membership, was adopted during plenary after lawmakers reviewed it at the Committee of the Whole.
Under the bill, three new subsections will be added to Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, making it illegal for any individual to belong to multiple political parties simultaneously.
The provision clearly states that no person may be registered as a member of more than one political party at a time. Any individual discovered to have dual party membership will have such memberships declared invalid.
It further stipulates that once dual membership is established, the individual will no longer be recognised as a legitimate member of any political party until the matter is resolved in line with the Electoral Act and the constitution of the affected political party.
The amendment also introduces strict penalties for violators. Anyone who knowingly registers or maintains membership in more than one political party could face a fine of N10 million, up to two years in prison, or both upon conviction.
During discussions on the bill, lawmakers argued that belonging to multiple parties undermines political integrity and creates confusion during party primaries and candidate nominations.
However, Abubakar Fulata (APC–Jigawa) raised constitutional concerns, noting that restricting membership in more than one party might conflict with Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees freedom of association. He suggested that the law should instead emphasise membership in only one political party at any given time.
Despite this concern, many lawmakers supported the amendment, describing dual party membership as dishonest and misleading.
One member noted that it is improper for an individual to belong to two political parties simultaneously, stressing that political loyalty should be clear and consistent.
Lawmakers also examined how violations could be detected, noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) already receives party membership registers ahead of primaries, which could help identify individuals registered with multiple parties.
Some legislators expressed worry that people could be wrongly accused if their names appear in more than one party register without their consent. In response, it was clarified that the law would only apply where dual membership is proven to have been done knowingly.
Following deliberations, the Committee of the Whole adopted the bill’s clauses and title before the House returned to plenary to present its report.
If eventually signed into law, the amendment is expected to strengthen the legal framework regulating political party membership and reduce cases of dual party affiliation in Nigeria’s electoral system.
