The 10th House of Representatives has moved to crack down on political cross-carpeting by amending the Electoral Act 2026 to criminalise dual membership of political parties.
The lower legislative chamber passed the amendment during yesterday’s plenary.
Under the new provision, individuals found guilty of belonging to more than one political party at the same time will face a fine of ₦10 million and a maximum prison term of two years. The amendment introduces three new subsections to section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, which deals with political party membership and provides that any individual found to be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time will have such membership declared void.
The provision reads: “A person shall not be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time. 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.
“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 a ₦10,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of two years, or both”.
