POLITICAL APATHY AND SUSTAINABLE DEMOCRACY
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POLITICAL APATHY AND SUSTAINABLE DEMOCRACY
SUSTAINABLE DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL APATHY
ABSTRACT
Democracy has emerged as the most widely endorsed political vehicle for growth and social change in modern times, receiving near-universal acclaim and adoration from many world leaders. Although debatable, the reasons for this differ. For starters, democracy has grown in popularity as a type of government founded on equity and justice.
Second, it claims to preserve the rule of law and ensure the protection of human rights. Sustaining democratic governance is a worldview based mostly on the functioning of governance institutions in accordance with democratic processes and norms.
The study looked into the effect of political indifference on long-term democracy. That is, a careless attitude towards voting by voters is harmful and an aberration to highly celebrated modern democracy.
In order to achieve the study’s goal, the survey research design was used. Lagos State served as the research site. A total of 187 respondents over the age of 18 were sampled. The descriptive and multi-regression methods were used to analyse the data.
According to the findings of this study, political parties in Nigeria are liabilities rather than assets to Nigerian democracy, due to their attitudes that encourage voter indifference. Indeed, broken campaign promises, ideological bareness, electoral violence,
a high level of indiscipline, and unprincipled party defection characterise Nigeria’s political parties, instilling in voters a negative attitude towards partisan politics.
As the 2019 general elections come to a close and Nigerians continue to aspire for long-term democratic government, political parties should reinvent themselves, based on ethos and philosophy, in order to instill confidence and trust in voters.
As a result, there is a compelling need for Nigerian political parties to be democratic, as democracy is unimaginable without robust political parties.
It highlighted existing development strategies in the country, examined progress and challenges in implementing the strategies, and identified additional measures that, if adopted and implemented, will likely change the country’s social, economic, and political conditions for economic growth and sustainable development.
CHAPITRE ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Research
Citizens’ trust in the electoral system, as well as their involvement in the electoral process, are prerequisites for the election of accountable and democratic leaders. The success of the 2015 Nigeria general election involves a clear electoral process and widespread voter participation.
Political indifference has recently appeared to be a minor concern in Nigeria’s political process. While the objective of every government is to formulate and implement policies for the benefit of its population,
it is also the voters’ right and obligation to elect their leaders through the ballot box. Elections lay the groundwork for a country’s political foundations.
According to Abah and Ibeogu (2018), voting is a fundamental procedure that allows citizens to choose their own leaders and representatives in government, implying that voters can influence the policies and programmes of a political party as well as the entire administrative system.
In Nigeria, where every adult has the right to vote, regardless of gender, class, or occupation, statistics from the last two decades demonstrate that many people do not vote even after being registered with the nation’s electoral organisation (Adelekan, 2012). His or her vote, along with the votes of others, determines who forms the government and governs the country.
It has also been noticed that, despite greater voter registration due to increased population and political knowledge, the rate of voting in Nigeria continues to fall in every election held in the country, while the number of unclaimed voter cards increases.
According to Akinbolade (2013), voter apathy appears to be a major problem in mature and emerging democracies, settled and volatile societies, large and thriving economies as well as small and troubled ones, among youth, men/women, and other marginalised groups as well as mainstream dominant interest groups.
Political apathy could be evaluated by the percentage of registered voters and election turnout. In other words, the percentage of registered voters who vote on election day and the percentage of the voting-age population, registered or not, who vote on election day (Aro & Chidiume, 2015).
According to Awolowo and Aluko (2012), the number of Nigerians who vote appears to have continually declined in spite of the ever increasing number of registered voters, and this has been the pattern since 1999, when Nigeria returned to democratic governance.
According to his analysis, between the last election in 2015 and the 2019 election, over sixteen million (16.58) Nigerians became eligible to vote for the first time; however, preliminary figures of the number of people who participated in the 2019 elections showed a shrinking voter base, with collations by INEC in states such as Abia,
Enugu, Ebonyi, Rivers, and some others witnessing the lowest turnout, with less than t This is in sharp contrast to the 1999 general election, in which over 70% of all registered voters participated to usher in Nigeria’s new democracy. Attempts have been made to link the foregoing to various impediments to voter engagement in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Egobueze and Nweke (2016) lamented that many people have lost trust and confidence in the government and their elected representatives because those elected to represent the people have always failed to deliver on the promises made to the electorate during campaigns.
In their opinion, once elected and sworn into office, they become demigods. This causes people to lose trust in them, which displays as voter apathy in practically every election held in Nigeria (Eminue, 2005; Falada, 2007).
This is supported by Ibeogu and Nwede’s (2015) earlier stance that politicians make a variety of promises during election campaigns; however, most of these pledges are not fulfilled once they are elected.
As a result, most voters are disinterested in political activities. Political apathy could be explained by a lack of trust/confidence in the government, fear of intimidation by hired thugs/security agents, campaign crises,
bad governance, election fraud/violence, poor political education, poverty, and a lack of infrastructural development in the state, among other factors (Adebanjo, 2003).
These characteristics appear to have contributed to political manoeuvring throughout the election, creating a caricature of our fledgling democracy. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),
the organisation charged with the country’s electoral obligations, has been repeatedly slammed for failing to address the threat of voter indifference in Nigeria’s electoral process.
In this regard, Idike (2014) stated that poor political and voter education, in conjunction with low levels of education and illiteracy in Nigeria, has been a key impediment to voter engagement in Nigeria’s democratic process.
As a result, election results show a significant level of voter disinterest. He bemoaned a situation in which over half (50%) of registered voters failed to pick up their PVCs and so could not be accredited to vote as a result of INEC’s insufficient mobilisation.
The political stability and development of any political system are dependent on citizens’ awareness and active participation in civic and political concerns. This is why, according to Appadorai (2004), democracy requires a certain level of competence and character from the common person: logical behaviour and active engagement in governance.
Political activity and transition plans in Nigeria have been marred by turmoil, uncertainty, and bloodshed. Nigerian politics has been marked by greed, love of power, brutality, assassination, thuggery, and election rigging since the First Republic (Adeyemo, 2011).
Violence has been synonymous with Nigeria’s political culture, with nearly all elections held in the country thus far being violent (Ojo, 2014). Although the 2011 Nigeria general election was mostly calm, it was marred by some irregularities.
According to Okpi (2019), while many consider the national assembly election held on Saturday, April 9, 2011, to be a success, several malpractices and violence reported around the country threaten to cast a shadow on democratic development (Adelakun, 2011).
During the election, there were reports of underage voting, money distribution at polling places, voter register manipulation, diversion of electoral materials, ballot box snatching, unauthorised possession of firearms, and other electoral offences. Some persons’ political attitudes and engagement were influenced by this political setting.
Citizens can participate in the political process and decision making in a political system by joining a political party, voting in elections, participating in electoral campaigns, community affairs, and other political activities (Adelekan, 2010). Citizens’ levels and patterns of political participation influence the political system’s success to some extent.
Many people in Nigeria regard politics as a filthy game that should be avoided. This is due to the political system’s undemocratic characteristics, dishonesty, brutality, and uncertainty (Adekunle, 2007).
Commenting on the political apathy displaced by Nigerian residents during the 2011 general election, INEC chairman Professor Attairu Jega lamented: “The fact that there is voter apathy in Nigeria is no longer debatable.”
Voter turnout in the recently finished general elections presented scientific and empirical proof of voter apathy and indifference in elections among certain segments of the population. This dreadful scenario has ramifications for public involvement and governance.
(Okeke, 2011) This is supported by an interview held during the 2011 election. One of the respondents stated, “When I was leaving home, my father told me not to vote.” My father told me this morning that I was wasting my time. He claimed that all politicians were the same and that it wouldn’t make a difference.
According to a statistical analysis of the 2011 general elections, just 35% of registered voters voted. In response, the INEC chairman stated that scientific evidence of low voter turnout during the election contradicted popular opinion that Nigerians voted enthusiastically (Okeke, 2011). The election system is crucial to the establishment and maintenance of authentic democracy in Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
It is quite concerning that there appears to be a considerable reduction in voter turnout during Nigerian elections over the years. According to an analysis of official records obtained from the INEC website, 52.3% of registered voters voted in the 1999 elections;
the figure rose to 69.1% in 2003, then dropped to 57.4% in 2011, 43.6% in 2015, and only 34.74% voted in the recently concluded 2019 presidential elections (INEC, https://www.inecnigeria.org/all-about2019-generalelections).
In the same vein, the News Agency of Nigeria, 2019 reported that 34.75% of voters in the 2019 general elections represent 26,614,190 electorates who cast their votes during elections and that 33.18% of the 82,344,107 registered voters were valid votes that led to the final decision of INEC, thus the declaration of Muhammadu Buhari as President on the Presidential and National Assembly elections held on February 23, 2019.
The aforementioned scenario paints a bleak picture of voter involvement and democracy in Nigeria, especially given that the country’s population is estimated to be over 200 million (200m) people. Supposedly, the operations of Nigeria state are intended to be handled by elected officials who were elected by the bigger majority of the electorates,
but the electorates are dissatisfied and allow the affairs of the greater population to be decided by a few inactive politicians. Again, when very few people vote, the politicians elected do not reflect the opinions and ideals of the broader community. Voter apathy has thus been linked to a form of political depression,
in which one feels helpless and powerless to affect major events. Based on this, this study explores the relationship between political apathy and long-term democracy, as well as the role of INEC in increasing political involvement in the national electoral process. The study also aims to identify the most important component of political indifference that has a substantial influence on Nigeria’s sustainable democracy.
1.3 Research Questions
The project aims to investigate and answer the following research topics.
What factors contribute to voter indifference among the electorate?
How much influence does political empathy have on sustainable democracy?
How does electoral credibility impact long-term democracy?
To what extent can political attitude influence long-term democracy?
1.4 Objectives of Research
The study’s particular goals are as follows:
To identify the variables that contribute to voter disinterest in politics.
To investigate how political empathy influences long-term democracy.
To investigate the impact of voter credibility on the sustainability of democracy.
To look into the effects of political attitudes on long-term democracy.
.1.5Research Hypothesis
Ho1: Political empathy has no substantial impact on long-term democracy.
Ho2: Voter credibility has no substantial impact on long-term democracy.
Ho3: Political attitudes have no substantial impact on long-term democracy.
1.6 Research Methodology
The survey research design approach will be used to study the effect of leadership style on leadership effectiveness in Nigeria in order to achieve the research objectives. The study adopts a quantitative research approach. This method would allow the researcher to objectively measure the phenomenon using data.
According to Williams (2007), quantitative analysis gives meaning and objectivity to data acquired. The quantitative approach employs theories and forecasts future results, and according to Leedy and Ormrod (2001),
the quantitative research approach confirms or validates correlations among variables, resulting in the development of theory and the creation of generalisations.
Because the researcher cannot sample all of Nigeria’s states, Lagos State will be selected as the study site. To determine the sampling size, a multistage sampling technique would be used.
Cronbach’s Alpha is used to assess the reliability of the study’s instruments. In order to achieve the research objectives, descriptive and inferential statistics will be used in the study.
1.7 Significance of the research
The study looks at the impact of political indifference on long-term democracy in Nigeria. This is significant because it will provide a framework for understanding the issues of political empathy in Nigeria,
as well as a roadmap for individuals and others to understand their roles and responsibilities in sustaining democracy in Nigeria, and how they can be most effective civic capacities.
The study will give leaders with reference points to help them understand how the various policies and mechanisms put in place to prevent political apathy in the country.
The study will also provide deeper insights into what individuals require to further increase their efficacy and so enable for improvement in the many capacities in which they function.
The study will also benefit academia and other scholars by adding to the limited literature on sustainable democracy and how it affects leadership effectiveness in Nigeria.
The study looks into political indifference and the sustainability of democracy in Nigeria. The study would be restricted to Lagos State only. Lagos state was picked because it has been ranked as Africa’s seventh largest economy,
with a population of 16, 570, 291 people, according to Egbas (2019). The respondents to be sampled will be limited to those who are at least 18 years old and are eligible to vote.
1.9 Ethical Considerations
Due to time limits, the researcher focuses on studying political indifference and sustainable democracy. Other issues such as the government’s political involvement plan are also considered. The study will be limited to the state of Lagos. The Researcher and Research Assistants will approach the respondents. It is vital to remember that the researcher has no prior contact with the respondents under consideration.
To avoid excessive influence and bias in opinion, respondents will be recruited at different times and individually. The researcher would aid in getting the respondents into contact with the researcher using a zoom communication platform.
The researcher obtains information about the phenomenon under inquiry from potential respondents directly or through their phones, emails, and phones for their convenience, availability, and willingness to engage in the survey.
The Gatekeeper and the research assistants will not provide any information about the respondents’ personal details because the researcher will keep this strictly confidential. Because this is an objective and independent study, the researcher has a moral obligation to stay ethical.
The research instrument will expose the genuine purpose of the study. The entire process of ensuring informed consent includes providing sufficient and appropriate research material to the respondents, allowing the respondents to carefully explore the research instruments,
answering the statements in the information in the research instrument as required while educating the respondents in order to comprehend the information, and gaining the respondents’ voluntary approval in giving an opinion on the phenomenon at hand.
There will be consideration and strict adherence to ethical principles to ensure that people are not pressed to reply to issues raised. This is accomplished through informed consent, which is obtained through the sharing of information between the researcher and the respondents,
as well as education of the respondents. It is vital to follow moral principles in order to avoid errors, promote and carefully adhere to the dissertation framework, and protect the respondents (Resnik, 2015).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Political Apathy: Political apathy is characterised by apathy or disinterest in politics. It can be divided into three categories: interest apathy, voter apathy, and information apathy. It is defined as an individual’s apathy and lack of interest in participating in political activities.
Everyday practical and participative practises that are intentionally linked to a vision of the future that is more economically egalitarian, peaceful, inclusive, and socially just.
Political credibility mechanisms that limit governments’ discretionary powers
Influences that shape a person’s political ideas, ideology, and level of political activity are referred to as political attitudes. The subset of human behaviour that involves politics and power is known as political attitude.
Political Empathy: political empathy manifested through policy and collective identification is related to social assessments and agency attributions.
1.11 Study Overview/Organization of the Study
The first chapter provides the study’s history, the research problem, the research aims and objectives, the significance of the study, and a summary of the methodology. The second chapter focuses on existing literature on political indifference and sustainable democracy theoretical review, empirical literature, and conceptual framework.
The third chapter describes the approach utilised to achieve the study’s objectives. This comprises the demographic, sample size and approach, study instrument validity and reliability, and data analysis method.
The fourth chapter provides the results and their discussions. The fifth chapter contains a study summary, results, and recommendations.
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