Isaac Samuel
The House of Representatives on Wednesday amended the Electoral Act, 2026, criminalising dual membership of political parties and prescribing a fine of N10 million, a two-year jail term, or both for offenders.
The amendment, sponsored by House Majority Leader Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (HB. 2728), inserts new subsections (8)–(10) into Section 77 of the Act, voiding dual membership and requiring regularisation in accordance with party constitutions.
The move comes despite the fact that President Bola Tinubu had recently signed the Electoral Act, 2026 into law.
Lawmakers argued that the amendment was necessary to prevent manipulative practices in party politics that could undermine internal primaries and the integrity of party membership.
During the Committee of the Whole, presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, legislators debated the amendment extensively.
Hon. Sada Soli said it would strengthen the exclusivity of party membership in line with direct primaries, while Hon. Fulata Hassan cautioned about potential conflicts with the constitutional guarantee of freedom of association.
Deputy Speaker Kalu, Jonathan Gaza, and other lawmakers emphasised that deliberate dual registration is dishonest and must be punished.
They clarified that the law targets those who “knowingly” maintain membership in multiple parties, with INEC’s party registers and personal biometrics providing the evidential basis for prosecution.
Other members, including Hon. Dennis, Akin Rotimi, and Ikenga Ugochinyere, highlighted procedural issues such as resignation and verification of party membership.
Kalu said these would be managed within existing legal frameworks, while the amendment focuses squarely on curbing deliberate dual party membership.
