Popular Participation: Meaning, Reasons, Importance And Forms Of Popular Participation

Civic Education
Topic: Meaning And Ways Of Participation In Politics
Table Of Contents

  • Definition Of Popular Participation
  • Forms Or Ways Of Participation In Politics
  • Reasons Why People Do Not Participate In Politics

What Is Popular Participation?
This is an expression or phrase that connotes a situation where greater number of the entire citizen participates in politics. Popular participation is a participation in democracy and where rule of law is in full practice. Popular participation occur where there is political socialization and political culture.
Forms/Ways Of Participation In Politics
1. Membership Of Political Party: Citizens participates in politics by enrolling into any of the political parties. Political party is a platform under which citizens express their political consciousness. Political party is an agent of socialization. Political parties educate the citizens through their manifestoes, campaigns, rallies, seminars, posters and other political activities both at National and grass roots levels.
2. Participating In An Election: Election pass through a lot of process state among the stages is registering for election and participating in voting exercise.
3. Holding Party Posts: Parties have hierardy federal, state, local and wards level at each there are executive members. As an executive member one plays a vital role in politics.
4. Government Appointments: Citizens also participate in politics whenever they are giving government appointments. All government appointments brings the appointee closer to politics.
Reasons Why People Do Not Participate In Politics
Political participation among the citizen especially in African countries is low compared to other countries.
The reasons for lack of participation in politics are:
1. Electoral malpractice in which elections are rigged, result falsified and losers becomes winners, thuggery and electoral violence also discourage people from participating in politics. They do not want to die because they have gone to vote.
2. Official corruption in high places and levels of government where the winner turns government to his inheritance and does whatever he wants with it.
3. Tribalism prevalent in African countries where some tribes feel that political leadership resides only among them. People feel there is no need to participate in politics since their participation is worthless.
4. Low level of education and mass illiteracy among the supposedly qualified citizens at least in terms of age.
5. Non-fulfilment of electoral promises and pledges by sme of the political leaders.
6. Inferiority Complex: Some people feel that they are not as good, important or as intelligent as other people.
7. Poverty: Sme people abstain from politics because they may not have money to be paying their monthly dues or levy.
How Popular Organisations Are Formed
Political factions or parties began to form during the struggle over ratification of federal issues, Political parties are formed from the help of historic people. Personalities gather themselves together with an ideology and decide to form a political party. After this, the group of persons would seek for recognition via registration to qualify, as the new party it has to be registered and pass through other processes and recognition.
The first thing to do is to close a name for the proposed political party. The name choosen cannot be the one that has already existed/registered with the electoral commission or the one that so much look like another party or considered absence.
Nationalistic sentiments are also frowned at. The party cannot bear a country’s name either Nigeria, British or Scottish party with a name choosen, it also chooses a logo, the name logo or symbol should contain any ethnic or religious comotation.
The second stage is to make it official. It is registered with electoral commission and registered with a stipulated amount of money, a drawn up party constitution, a financial statement and a norminated leader.
The third stage is to draw up a manifesto, It is the content of the manifestoes that sells the party to the popularity. The party at fourth stage is to open a current account with a reputable Nigerian bank. A cheque book is given after opening the account. The next is to find wealthy backers and supporters.
Other popular organisation like Non governmental organisations (NGOs) and pressure groups pass through same process of formation.