A new legislative proposal to criminalize dual party membership has sent ripples through Nigeria’s political landscape, with the House of Representatives seeking to impose a ₦10 million fine and two years of jail time for violators
The House of Representatives on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, fast-tracked a fresh amendment to the recently signed Electoral Act 2026, specifically targeting the practice of “political nomadism.” Sponsored by House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, the bill passed its first, second, and third readings in a single plenary session. The amendment introduces three stringent clauses to Section 77, prohibiting any individual from being registered as a member of more than one political party simultaneously. Under the proposed law, anyone found “knowingly” maintaining dual membership faces a staggering ₦10 million fine, a two-year prison sentence, or both, while their membership in all affected parties would be declared void pending “regularization.”
The move has immediately polarized political analysts and pundits. Proponents argue that the amendment is essential to “tidy up” Nigeria’s electoral space and enforce ideological discipline before the 2027 general elections. They contend that the current system allows opportunistic actors to “hedge their bets” by maintaining secret affiliations with multiple parties during the primary season, which often leads to a chaotic surfeit of pre-election litigation. By attaching a “prohibitively high” cost to such double-dealing, lawmakers believe they can strengthen internal party democracy and simplify the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) verification processes.
However, the speed of the amendment’s passage has sparked concerns among opposition figures regarding the ruling APC’s commitment to a “level playing field.” Critics point out that the Electoral Act 2026 was only signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in February, and the sudden introduction of criminal sanctions for membership issues suggests a “weaponization of the law” against defectors and coalition-builders. As political actors begin navigating the new legal terrain, the debate shifts to whether these penalties will promote genuine party loyalty or merely serve as a tool to stifle political association in the buildup to 2027.
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