Multiple party membership to attract N10m, 2 years jail term as Reps amends Electoral Act

‎The House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 11, amended the Electoral Act 2026 to criminalise any form of multiple political party membership.

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‎With the newly amended law, any individual who is found guilty of belonging to more than one political party would be liable to get a fine of N10 million and a maximum jail term of two years.

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‎On the floor of the plenary, the House of Representatives had introduced three different new subsections to section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026.

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‎The section provides conditiona for which an individual can belong to a political party.

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‎However, with the new amendment to the Act, anyone with more than one membership can be said not to belong to any party.

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‎The new subsection reads, “A person shall not be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time.

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‎“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,” it stated.

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‎In addition, it also noted that any person who intentionally registers his or her membership with multiple political parties commits a crime.

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‎“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,” it added.

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‎The new amendment by the Lower Chamber is anticipated to aid in strengthening the legal framework governing party affiliation.

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‎It is also expected to reduce the cases of dual or multiple political party membership among Nigerians and politicians alike.

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