Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has raised concerns about the accuracy of election vote counts in the country. He believes that Nigeria’s election results are not always correct because of “ghost voters”—people who are not real but are counted in the election.
Jonathan made these remarks on Tuesday at the YIAGA Africa Reflection Conference on Democratic Elections in West Africa held in Abuja.
The Problem with Nigeria’s Elections
Jonathan explained that the country’s election system has a credibility problem because some officials in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) give in to pressure from politicians to change results.
He suggested that if INEC officials are asked to manipulate election results, they should resign rather than do something dishonest.
“If you are the INEC chairman or a commissioner, you should be ready to walk away if pressured to do what is wrong,” Jonathan said. “If we don’t have such people managing elections, we are in trouble.”
He also mentioned that elections should be free from regional influence. He pointed out that in Nigeria, ethnic and religious divisions affect elections, making it harder for the right leaders to emerge.
Why Honest Elections Matter
Jonathan stressed that for democracy to work, every vote must count. He criticized situations where votes are cast by people who do not exist, saying that only real people should vote, and their votes should be counted accurately.
He also explained that some other African countries have been able to hold fair elections, even without advanced technology. He compared Nigeria’s elections with those in Ghana, Liberia, and Senegal, where elections were mostly peaceful and transparent.
In Ghana, for example, elections were well-organized, and power was transferred smoothly. Similarly, in Liberia, former President George Weah accepted defeat and congratulated his opponent, Joseph Boakai, which showed a good example of democracy.
However, Jonathan pointed out that in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, where more election technology was used, there were still many problems such as delayed voting, technical glitches, and election violence. He said that technology alone cannot solve Nigeria’s election problems—there must be honest and independent people in charge.
What Needs to Change?
Jonathan suggested the following solutions to improve elections in Nigeria and West Africa:
Honest and independent INEC officials who will not allow politicians to manipulate results.
Stronger voter registration systems to stop ghost voters.
Less focus on ethnic and regional politics when choosing leaders.
Better technology use, but with the right human leadership.
More participation from young people, since they are the future of democracy.
He also emphasized the need for peaceful elections and respect for democracy, reminding people that military rule should not return to West Africa.
What Experts Are Saying
At the same event, Prof. Attahiru Jega, a former INEC chairman, also spoke about the problems affecting elections in West Africa. He mentioned that politicians often:
Interfere with the appointment of INEC officials to control election results.
Pressure INEC officials to favour them.
Block important reforms that would improve the election process.
Change electoral laws in ways that give them an advantage.
Jonathan’s message was clear: Nigeria must work towards free and fair elections where every vote counts and no one is forced to manipulate results. He called on leaders and citizens to support democracy and help build a better electoral system.
The former president also encouraged young people to get involved in politics and push for reforms that will ensure Nigeria has honest and credible elections in the future.
