National Assembly Outlaws Dual Party Membership, Offenders Face Jail Time

The House of Representatives has passed an amendment to the Electoral Act 2026, making it a criminal offence to hold dual membership in political parties. The new law prescribes a fine of N10 million, a two-year prison sentence, or both for offenders. The amendment was approved during plenary after deliberations by the committee of the whole.

The bill introduces three new subsections to Section 77 of the Act, explicitly prohibiting individuals from registering as members of more than one political party simultaneously. Any membership found to violate this provision will be declared void. Offenders will cease to be recognised as valid members of any party until they regularise their status in line with the Electoral Act and the relevant party’s constitution.

Lawmakers supporting the amendment argued that dual membership undermines political integrity and creates complications during party primaries and candidate nominations. They described the practice as dishonest and a form of political misrepresentation that weakens the electoral process.

However, concerns were raised by Abubakar Fulata (APC-Jigawa), who noted that the provision might conflict with Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association. He suggested that instead of criminalising dual membership, the law should merely limit citizens to membership in one party at a time.

Despite the constitutional concerns, the amendment was overwhelmingly backed by lawmakers who stressed the need for stronger political accountability. The new provision is expected to reinforce party discipline and ensure greater transparency in the electoral system.