Public Distrust in Elected Officials and Political Appointees: It’s Implication on Political Apathy in Nigeria

Trust is the foundation for the legitimacy of public institutions and a functional democratic system. It is crucial for maintaining political system that encourages participation and cohesion. It is important for the success of a wide range of public policies that depend on behavioural responses from the public. Political apathy has taken a wider dimension in Nigeria as a result of distrust on the government officials. This study therefore assesses public trust in various government officials, including elected executives, politically appointed officials and legislatures. The study deploys descriptive research design and secondary data were obtained from textbooks, journals, newspapers, radio/television news and internet, in carrying out the research and examines the impact of public distrust on government officials as it affect political apathy in Nigeria. The findings revealed that there is a correlation between citizens’ participation in political activities and distrust for political leaders. Over the years, the political leaders have failed in their obligations to provide education, health, shelter, job, and food for the common person. So, the commoner who vote gets nothing, hence they are now voting with their legs, choosing to stay away from elections. Some recommendations were made to ameliorate the situation, among which was that Nigerian government must understand that it is duty bound to fulfill its expectations efficiently, as it will motivate the citizens to also discharge their responsibilities to overcome the danger of political apathy.