A civil society group, the Nigeria Democratic Rights Advocacy (NDRA), has called for an investigation into what it describes as a potential breach of Nigeria’s electoral laws involving overlapping party roles.
In a statement issued Sunday in Abuja, the coalition said it uncovered discrepancies in official records showing Barrister Reuben Egwuaba listed as National Legal Adviser in both the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), with one of the entries reportedly backed “by court order.”
The statement, signed by NDRA General-Secretary Julius Aondowase, warned that the situation goes beyond administrative error and raises serious legal concerns.
“By virtue of the amended electoral provisions—particularly the modification of Section 77—belonging to more than one political party at the same time is expressly prohibited. The law is clear and uncompromising: any individual found guilty of dual party membership is liable to a fine of up to ₦10 million and/or a prison term of up to two years.
“The position of National Legal Adviser is not symbolic; it is a core office within a party’s National Executive Committee NEC, which requires full and exclusive membership of that party. Therefore, occupying this role in both the APM and NDC simultaneously is not only politically improper—it constitutes prima facie evidence of dual membership and a potential criminal offence under Nigerian law.
“This situation demands urgent clarification from all parties involved. If these records are accurate, then this is a clear violation of the law. If they are not, then the public deserves an immediate correction and explanation as to how such conflicting information came to be officially documented.
Political parties must not become safe havens for legal contradictions. The rule of law must be upheld without exception.
Nigeria’s democracy must be governed by rules—not convenience,” the group said.
Responding to the concerns, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicated that the situation may already have been resolved internally.
The Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, Wilfred Ifogah, said preliminary findings show that the lawyer had stepped down from his role in the APM and is now affiliated with the NDC.
“My inquiry revealed that he has already resigned from APM, which means he is of NDC.
“It’s likely APM has not formally communicated the commission. However, the needful will be done to update the portal”, he said.
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