New electoral act amendment bans dual party membership, prescribes N10m fine

An amendment to the recently enacted Electoral Act 2026 has prohibited Nigerians from holding membership of more than one political party simultaneously.

The new amendment passed by the House of Representatives scaled first, second, and third readings during a swift plenary session on Wednesday, introduces stringent penalties for offenders, including a ₦10 million fine, a two-year jail term, or both.

The amendment targets Section 77 of the principal Act, inserting three new subsections 8, 9, and 10 to create a legal barrier against multiple party affiliations.

Under the new provisions, any individual established to have registered with more than one party will see such memberships declared void. Consequently, the individual will cease to be a valid member of any political organization until they regularize their status in accordance with the law and the specific party’s constitution.

Leading the debate, House Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere argued that the amendment is critical to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process, particularly concerning party primaries.

He noted that since the Electoral Act provides for direct primaries, which rely heavily on verified membership registers, the exclusivity of party affiliation must be reinforced to prevent the manipulation of candidate selection processes.

According to Ihonvbere, the move is designed to stop double registration from being used as a tool to illicitly influence primary outcomes.

Despite the bill’s passage, the session was marked by intense debate as some lawmakers raised red flags over its constitutionality.

Fulata Hassan, representing Jigawa, argued that the provision stripping an offender of membership in all parties might infringe upon Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of association.

He suggested that rather than a total voiding of membership, the law should simply compel an individual to choose one party.

Similarly, Sada Soli of Katsina warned against potential constitutional clashes and proposed a notification system where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would allow individuals 14 days to elect a single party before sanctions are applied.

In his defense of the amendment, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, dismissed the objections, characterizing dual membership as a fraudulent misrepresentation that undermines the credibility of the nation’s democratic system.

He maintained that the legislature must not encourage practices that compromise political transparency.

The bill now awaits concurrence from the Senate before it can be transmitted to the President for assent.