- The House of Representatives has proposed an amendment to the Electoral Act 2026 aimed at prohibiting Nigerians from holding membership in more than one political party at the same time
- Individuals found guilty of maintaining dual party membership could face a fine of N10 million, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both
- The move aims to strengthen the legal framework governing political party affiliation and close loopholes that have allowed politicians to exploit the system
The House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 11, moved to tighten Nigeria’s electoral laws by proposing stricter penalties for individuals who belong to more than one political party at the same time.
The lawmakers amended provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 to explicitly prohibit dual party membership and introduce criminal sanctions for offenders.
Under the proposed changes, anyone found to be simultaneously registered in multiple political parties could face a fine of N10 million, a two-year prison sentence, or both.
The amendment introduces three additional subsections to Section 77 of the Act, which addresses political party membership.
According to the provision, “A person shall not be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time,” the provision reads.
It further states: “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 void, and the person shall cease to be recognised as a valid member of any political party pending regularisation in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the constitution of the political party concerned.
“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 N10m or to imprisonment for a term of two years, or both.”
If eventually signed into law, the amendment is expected to strengthen regulations governing party affiliation and introduce clear legal consequences for violations.
The legislative move comes amid increasing concerns over allegations that some politicians maintain ties with multiple political parties, a practice critics say weakens party discipline and undermines Nigeria’s electoral framework.
Although existing electoral laws already require citizens to belong to only one political party at a time, enforcement has largely been administrative, with limited legal punishment for violations.
Lawmakers backing the amendment argue that the lack of defined criminal sanctions has allowed some politicians to exploit loopholes in the system.
The debate has intensified in recent years following frequent political defections and controversies surrounding party membership registers, especially during party primaries and candidate selection processes.
Observers say the issue is often linked to internal disputes within major parties such as the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, where accusations sometimes arise that individuals maintain parallel affiliations to influence internal party decisions or protect their political interests.
Supporters of the amendment believe that imposing tougher penalties for dual party membership will strengthen internal party discipline, improve transparency in party registers, and enhance the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.