House of Representative

The House of Representatives on Wednesday amended Section 77 of the recently assented Electoral Act 2026 to prescribe two-year jail term or N10 million fines or both, for anyone who knowingly maintains membership of two political parties at the same time.

LEADING REPORTERS gathered that lawmakers during the committee of the whole presided by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, made amendment to section 77 of the 2026 Act by inserting three new clauses 8, 9 and 10 which were considered and approved by lawmakers after a heated session of back and forth debates.

According to the new clauses approved by lawmakers, any party member found to be registered as member of more than one political party at the same time will have his or membership of the said parties voided.

Clause (8) of the approved amendment stipulates that “A person shall not be registered as a member of more than one political party at the same time.”

Clause (9) stipulates that “Where it is established that a person is registered as a member of more than one political 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.

Clause (10) stipulates that “A person who knowingly registers or maintains membership in more than one political party at the same time commits an offence is liable on conviction to a fine of N10,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of two years, or both.”

On Thursday, February 13, members of the House of Representatives passed the N54.99 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill.

The bill was passed during the plenary on Thursday.

According to the presidency, the 2025 bill has been planned with the aim to address major financial committments in the country.

Details of the budget show that N3.65 trillion accounts statutory transfers for constitutionally mandated entities while M14.32 has been earmarked for debt servicing and other fiscal committments.

In addition to this, N13.64 trillion would be for recurrent expenditures, salaries, overheads and other government financial activities while N23.963 trillion has been budgeted capital projects.

Just last week, the 2025 budget was increased by President Bola Tinubu from N49.7 trillion to N54.2 trillion.

The House of Representatives has asked all tiers of government to ban a popular children’s book, Queen Premier, due to its content.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by Sulaiman Gumi, on the floor of the House on Thursday.

Moving the motion, Gumi said the book contains words like “gay” and “eros”, which according to the lawmakers, are words that are introducing “gay and lesbians” to children.

He said there is a “high influx of foreign educational materials introduced in nursery and primary schools in Nigeria which tend to teach and promote certain morals that are alien and inimical to our cherished norms and values.”

Speaking in support of the motion, Bello el-Rufai said he had to withdraw his children from a popular school in Abuja because of the words.

He said that despite living in the United States for years, he was able to remain “upright” because of his religious background.

Consequently, the House resolved to ban the book and other similar books that encourage pervasive culture.

The house also resolved that using such books is criminal.