Reps Prescribe N10m Fine, Jail Term For Dual Party Membership

The House of Representatives has passed an amendment to the Electoral Act, 2026 that prescribes a fine of N10m or a two-year jail term (or both) for any Nigerian who knowingly registers or maintains membership in more than one political party at a time.

The amendment inserts new subsections 8 to 10 into Section 77 of the Act, making dual party membership not only void but a criminal offence.

Under the new provision, “a person shall not be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time.”

Where such dual registration is established, it “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.”

The amendment further states that “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 N10,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of two years, or both.”

The amendment also tightens regulations around party membership registers.

Political parties are now mandated to make their membership registers available to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not later than 21 days before the date fixed for party primaries, congresses or conventions.

Only members whose names appear on the register submitted to INEC shall be eligible to vote and be voted for in party primaries, congresses and conventions.

Political parties are equally barred from using any register other than the one submitted to the electoral umpire for such exercises.

The law further stipulates that any party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated timeframe “shall not be eligible to field a candidate for that election.”

Upon registration, each member is entitled to receive a membership card from their political party.

The Committee of the Whole recommended that the amendment to Section 77, as well as the provision recognising political parties as bodies corporate, be retained in the bill.

The legislation, when signed into law, is expected to curb the widespread practice of politicians holding simultaneous membership across multiple parties.