House of Reps criminalises membership of two parties
House of Representatives yesterday amended the recently signed 2026 Electoral Act to include a N10 million fine or two-year jail term for being a registered member of two political parties
House of Representatives yesterday amended the recently signed 2026 Electoral Act to include a N10 million fine or two-year jail term for being a registered member of two political parties at the same time.
The Amendment Bill which was listed for first reading on and sponsored by the House Leader Prof Julius Ihonvbere, also went through second reading and consideration the same day and was passed by the House at plenary.
The Bill amends Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 which deals with political parties and their administration in the electoral space.
A copy of the amended bill, sighted by The Nation showed that a new Sub-section 8-10, were inserted into the bill, while none of the introduction addresses the concerns of the Inter-Party Advisory Council and other political parties.
Sub-section 8 that was added states that “a person shall not be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time.
Sub-section 9 states that “where it is established that a person is registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time, such dual membership shall be voided and the person shall cease to be recognised of any political party pending regularisation in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the constitution of the party concerned.
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Sub-section 10 which provides for penalty states that “a person who knowingly registers or maintain membership of more than one political party at the same time commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N10 million or to an imprisonment for a term of 2 years or both”
Opposition parties, especially the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) have asked the National Assembly to revisit and amend the act on the interest of multi-party democracy in the country.
The two parties were particular about Section 60(3), especially removing the proviso in the section which deals with the transmission of election results and section 84 which deals with mode of party primaries.
The parties are expected to submit their membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission by April 2 and the Electoral Act 2026 provides that only those whose names appear on the register are qualified to contest elections.
In considering the amendment, some members expressed concern about possible mischief that may be perpetrators by political actors.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu who presided over the consideration said the operating word was “knowingly” adding that if anybody is aware that his name appears in two political parties, but failed to take steps to address it, they will be affected by the law.
He said the system must discourage politicians from registering for two political parties, adding that if anybody resigned from one political party, he should be bold enough to put his resignation in writing to the party as evidence that he left the party before joining another.
