Nigeria, March 11 -- The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved an amendment to Section 77 of the recently assented Electoral Act 2026, introducing tougher penalties for individuals who maintain membership in more than one political party at the same time.

The amendment was adopted during the Committee of the Whole presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, where lawmakers inserted three new clauses - 8, 9 and 10 - into the Act after a heated debate among members.

According to the newly approved provisions, any individual discovered to be registered as a member of more than one political party simultaneously will have such memberships declared void.

Clause (8) of the amendment states that, "A person shall not be...