Dual party membership?

While the new law does not forbid defections, it seeks to sanitise the setting towards elections, during which period the tendency tends to be exhibited the more. Now, politicians who intend to contest for offices, are expected to resign well ahead of primary elections that must be by direct mode or consensus.

By the proposed provision, if any politician joins another political party without first resigning from that to which he belongs, he runs the risk of being fined N10 million or two years jail term, or even both. Many consider this too draconian a punishment. Others, especially in the opposition political parties who are yet unsure of their footing, hold that it violates their fundamental right to free association.

However, we are convinced that, should the Senate concurrently affirm the provision, the political scene would be better sanitised. It is sheer indiscipline for someone to belong to two opposing political parties, each presumably with its own manifesto and promising the electorate different packages in the education, health, agriculture and security sectors.

We call on the Senate to ensure that the amendment is speedily passed in view of the recently released time table by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It is difficult to appreciate why opposition political parties are unable to see the merit in the law.

Why would anyone blame the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) for seeking to introduce the law on the pretext of the officials of state working through their lawmakers in the National Assembly to keep disaffected members from easily defecting?

This is not the first time that the provision would be suggested, even before the APC became the dominant political party in the land. It is good that President Bola Tinubu has sent out notice to all officials of his government who want to contest any position in the forthcoming general elections. It is another way of saying people should make up their minds well ahead of the polls.

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In this wise, those who also want to jump ship should quickly do so. All men and women of goodwill should support these moves with a view to ensuring that the lines are well drawn out so that the electorate could easily make a distinction between the groups.

In addition, if there is a need to further amend the newly signed Electoral Act 2026, this should be done speedily with a view to assisting voters to get familiar with the law well ahead of the 2027 polls. Henceforth, the legal framework guiding elections should be fully passed at least one year before actual polling. Nigeria has come a long way since the electoral principle was first introduced in Lagos in 1922.

Since the first real political party was established by Herbert Macaulay in 1923, our politicians should have become mature and put Nigeria ahead of personal interest. Opposition figures should realise that the government party today could become the opposition platform tomorrow. Thus, they should rise above petty partisanship and become statesmen.

The proposed amendment to section 77 of the 2026 Electoral Act should be sorted out now in the interest of the state. Anything different from this portrays our politicians more as dealers than leaders. The people should be more vigilant ahead of the forthcoming elections.

Almost 27 years into the Fourth Republic, Nigeria deserves a better deal from our politicians. It is inconceivable that politicians today could be arguing that anyone has a right to be a member of two political parties at a time. Dishonesty should be stamped out of our political scene.