Electoral Act:Reps Move to Criminalise Dual Party Membership

By Missang AKPET 

The House of Representatives has approved an amendment to the Electoral Act that seeks to criminalise dual party membership in the country’s political system.

Lawmakers adopted the amendment on Wednesday, describing it as part of efforts to strengthen party discipline and curb opportunistic defections ahead of future elections.

Under the proposed provision, any individual found to be a member of more than one political party at the same time could face a fine of ₦10 million, a prison term of up to two years, or both.

The amendment is part of the ongoing review of the Electoral Act 2022 and will be forwarded to the Nigerian Senate for concurrence.

If approved by the Senate and signed into law by the President, the new provision would require political office seekers and party members to formally resign from their current political party before joining another.