Nigerian Lawmakers Propose Two-Year Prison Term and Steep Fines to End Dual Political Party Membership

The House of Representatives amends the Electoral Act 2026 to include a N10m fine and jail time for dual party membership, seeking to boost political discipline.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 12, 2026, 5:45 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Business Hallmark

Legislative Crackdown on Political Duplicity

In a decisive move to sanitize the nation’s democratic process, the House of Representatives has formally amended the Electoral Act 2026 to introduce strict criminal liability for dual party membership. During a plenary session held on Wednesday, lawmakers moved to close a legal loophole that previously allowed politicians to hedge their bets across different organizations. According to the new statutory language, any individual caught being registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time will see those memberships immediately and automatically voided, effectively stripping them of their political standing until the situation is legally regularized.

The Severity of Proposed Penal Sanctions

The amendment significantly raises the stakes for political actors by attaching heavy punitive measures to what was once a gray area of electoral conduct. The House has introduced three distinct subsections to Section 77 of the Act, which specifically handles the registration of party members. Under the updated law, any person who is found to have knowingly registered or maintained such dual status commits a serious offense. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to pay a fine of N10 million or serve a prison term of up to two years, according to the legislative draft passed by the lower chamber.

Enforcing Discipline Within the Party System

Lawmakers have defended the move as a necessary step toward fostering a more disciplined and transparent political environment in Nigeria. By criminalizing multiple affiliations, the House aims to curb the opportunistic "floor-crossing" and internal sabotage that often stems from divided loyalties. Proponents of the bill emphasized during the plenary that these measures are designed to strengthen the integrity of the overall political system. The new provision asserts that those in breach of the law will cease to be recognized as valid members of any organization, forcing a total reset of their political affiliation in accordance with party constitutions.