Fighting Political Apathy – SS3 Civic Education Lesson Note (First Term)

Political apathy is the lukewarm attitude or total refusal of citizens to take part in the political activities of the state.

Behavioural objectives

1. Define political apathy and state its forms.
2. Give reasons why citizens show political apathy.
3. Suggest ways of reducing political apathy.
4. Explain the concept of recall and say how it differs from impeachment.
5. State what happens after a representative is recalled.

What is political apathy?

Political apathy is the lukewarm attitude or total refusal of citizens to take part in the political activities of the state.

• Meaning: citizens are neither willing nor interested in public activities such as voting.
• Opposite: political participation, where citizens vote, join parties and take part in public affairs.
• Everyday example: a registered voter who stays at home on election day.

What are the forms of political apathy?

There are six common forms of political apathy.

1. Refusal to vote: the citizen does not vote during an election.
2. Refusal to join a party: the citizen is unwilling to become a member of any political party.
3. Refusal to register: the citizen does not register as a voter when registration is open.
4. Silence on malpractice: the citizen is unwilling to fight against electoral malpractices.
5. Staying away from protests: the citizen refuses to attend public protests or demonstrations.
6. Staying away from rallies: the citizen refuses to attend political rallies and campaigns.

Why do citizens show political apathy?

Citizens show political apathy mainly because of violence, rigging, broken promises, insecurity, bad governance, party rivalry and illiteracy.

• Political violence during elections: many Nigerian elections involve violence, killings and maiming, which scares people away.
• Election rigging: people believe their votes will not count because results are manipulated, so they stay aloof.
• Unfulfilled political promises: parties and government agents promise much but do not deliver once in office.
• Insecurity during elections: many voters stay at home because they fear for their lives.
• Bad governance: government agents live in affluence while the people who voted them in live in abject poverty.
• Unhealthy rivalry between parties: members see each other as enemies and may harm opponents to win, which discourages responsible people.
• Illiteracy: many people lack political education, skills and knowledge to take part in political activities.

What are the effects of political apathy?

Political apathy weakens democracy because fewer citizens take part in choosing and checking their leaders.

• Low voter turnout: only a small part of the electorate votes.
• Poor leaders: weak or dishonest candidates win when good citizens stay away.
• Weak accountability: leaders are not questioned about their performance.
• Weak democracy: government does not truly reflect the wishes of the people.

How can political apathy be reduced?

Political apathy can be reduced by fair elections, honest government, security, peaceful campaigns and political education.

• Independent electoral body: the body that conducts elections should be independent and impartial in its duties.
• Keeping promises: the government should fulfil its political promises to the people.
• Security: adequate security should be provided during elections.
• Peaceful campaigns: violence should be avoided during election campaigns.
• Political education: people should be taught about the political activities of their country and how to take part.
• Healthy rivalry: party faithful should stop seeing political opponents as enemies.
• Accountable government: the government should be responsible and answerable to the people.

What is recall?

Recall is the removal of an elected representative from office by the electorate before his tenure ends, because of poor representation.

• When it is needed: the representative performs below expectation or serves personal interest instead of the people’s interest.
• Who it applies to: only members of the legislature, such as senators and House of Representatives members.
• Who carries it out: the voters of the constituency, not the legislature.

What are the steps in recalling a legislator?

1. Voters in the constituency write a petition against their representative.
2. More than half of the registered voters in the constituency sign the petition.
3. The petition is sent to the electoral body (INEC), which checks the signatures.
4. A vote (referendum) is held in the constituency to decide whether to remove the representative.
5. If the required majority votes for recall, the seat becomes vacant.

What happens after a representative is recalled?

A by-election must be held to fill the vacant seat.

• By-election: an election held to fill a vacant position between general elections.

What is the difference between recall and impeachment?

Recall is the removal of a legislator by the voters of his constituency.

Impeachment is the removal of a president, governor or deputy from office before the end of the tenure, through a process carried out by the legislature.

Evaluation

1. Define political apathy.
2. Mention six reasons for political apathy.
3. Mention six ways of reducing political apathy in society.
4. Define recall and state one way it differs from impeachment.
5. What must be done after a representative has been recalled?

Assignment

Choose six reasons for political apathy from the note. Beside each reason, write one way of reducing it.