Former President Goodluck Jonathan has questioned the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process, citing ghost voters as a major factor affecting the accuracy of vote counts.
Speaking at the YIAGA Africa Reflection Conference on Democratic Elections in West Africa, he argued that the country’s elections would remain flawed until integrity-driven individuals are put in charge of the electoral commission.
Jonathan urged officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist external pressure to manipulate results. According to him, the best course of action for any electoral officer facing undue political influence is to resign honorably rather than compromise the integrity of the process. He emphasized that without ethical leadership in INEC, Nigeria’s elections would continue to face credibility crises.
He also criticized the regionalization of the electoral process, saying it has deepened division in the country’s politics. He noted that ethnic and religious biases often shape electoral outcomes, leading to poor leadership selection. He called for reforms that would ensure voter registration and election processes are devoid of manipulations.
Comparing Nigeria’s experience to other West African nations, Jonathan pointed out that countries like Ghana, Liberia, and Senegal conducted smoother elections with fewer technological interventions. In contrast, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, despite their reliance on digital election systems, experienced disruptions, legal disputes, and public dissatisfaction.
This, he said, proves that technology alone cannot guarantee credible elections without strong institutions and democratic values. Former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who also spoke at the event, outlined key issues affecting elections in the region.
He highlighted political interference, weak electoral laws, lack of financial independence for electoral bodies, and targeted intimidation of officials as major barriers to free and fair elections. Jega warned that unless these challenges are addressed, democracy in West Africa would remain fragile.
Jonathan urged Nigerian authorities to take electoral reforms seriously, stressing that the country’s influence in the region requires it to lead by example. He called for greater youth participation, strengthening of democratic institutions, and a renewed commitment to fair electoral practices to restore public confidence in the system.
