Reps Amends Electoral Act, Prescribes Imprisonment For Dual Party Membership

The House of Representatives has amended the recently amended Electoral Act to prohibit dual membership of political parties.

Lawmakers prescribed, in the amended Act, that any politician found belonging to two or more political parties will now face a fine of N10 million or two years imprisonment, or both.

Weeks after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the Electoral Act into law, the House reviewed Section 77, which deals with party membership.

The lawmakers said the amendment is aimed at preventing double registration and multiple party affiliations by politicians.

Acting Leader of the House, Sada Soli, said the move is intended to strengthen exclusivity of political party membership.

However, the amendment generated mixed reactions from some lawmakers, who called for caution.

The Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, dismissed the concerns as the amendment scaled through.

Earlier, five members of the House announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party.

Their defections were announced during plenary by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.

While four lawmakers defected to the All Progressives Congress, one decamped to the Accord Party.