Former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, has voiced strong concerns over the reliability of vote counts in the country’s elections.

Legit.ng reports that Nigeria is gearing up for another crucial election period in 2027, with political parties strategizing, candidates emerging, and voters anticipating a decisive moment for the nation’s future.

As preparations intensify, key issues like electoral credibility, security, and governance reforms are expected to shape the political landscape, setting the stage for a highly contested race.

Speaking at the YIAGA Africa Reflection Conference on Democratic Elections in West Africa, held in Abuja on Tuesday, Jonathan stated that Nigeria’s electoral system is plagued by inaccuracies due to the presence of what he termed as 'ghost voters.'

“In Nigeria, you can’t get an accurate count of votes because I believe that we have too many ghost voters,” Jonathan remarked.

Jonathan stressed that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must prioritize integrity in managing elections.

He argued that electoral commissioners and the INEC chairman should step down rather than succumb to political pressure to manipulate election outcomes. “We must have credible people.

From what former INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega said, political leaders who are so domineering will pressurize you to do what is wrong; you should be able to resign and leave. You should be able to resign and walk away, please,” he urged.

He further insisted that without individuals willing to uphold democratic values in electoral bodies, Nigeria’s democracy would remain flawed. “If we don’t have this kind of people, then we are in trouble.

I don’t want any INEC official to say they were pressurized. "If you accept the role of INEC Chairman or Commissioner, then you should be prepared to say, ‘If I’m pressured to do what is wrong, I will step aside for the sake of democracy,”

He further insisted that without individuals willing to uphold democratic values in electoral bodies, Nigeria’s democracy would remain flawed. “If we don’t have this kind of people, then we are in trouble.

I don’t want any INEC official to say they were pressurized. "If you accept the role of INEC Chairman or Commissioner, then you should be prepared to say, ‘If I’m pressured to do what is wrong, I will step aside for the sake of democracy,’” he stated.

The former president advocated for a robust electoral system that ensures credible elections by preventing manipulation. He argued that only when both political parties are strong and the system is foolproof will genuine votes count, Vanguard reported.

“When both parties are strong, and the system cannot be manipulated, only real human beings will cast their votes, and their votes will count,” he asserted.

He further stressed the need to improve voter registration and other electoral processes to enhance democracy. “If our electoral system is not refined to ensure voter cards function effectively, then what exactly is so great about democracy?” he questioned.