GCE Government 1990 past questions and answers

Under the 1963 Republican Constitution appeals to the Privy Council in London ended, so the Supreme Court became the final court of appeal.

In an indirect election voters choose an electoral college or representatives, who then elect the office holder.

Herbert Macaulay founded the NNDP in 1923.

A totalitarian state seeks to control every aspect of life and tolerates no opposition.

Serfs were bound to the land and worked it for their lords; they were at the bottom of feudal society.

In 1973 Nigeria broke ties with Israel over its occupation of Arab (including Egyptian) territory. Relations were restored in 1992.

The British created 'warrant chiefs' (given a warrant of office) in Igboland to run indirect rule.

The Murtala/Obasanjo foreign policy was often anti-American (e.g. over Angola), so it was not due to American influence.

Inputs are the demands and supports from the people; the decisions that result are outputs.

Under the 1979 (and 1999) Constitution federal executive members are Ministers; under military rule they were called Commissioners.

The East and West became self-governing in 1957, the North in 1959.

Shehu Shagari was elected in 1979 as the first executive president; Azikiwe (1963) was a ceremonial president.

Totalitarian governments try to control every part of citizens' lives: politics, economy, religion, media and culture.

The 1979 Constitution set 35 years as the minimum age for the President. (The 'Not Too Young to Run' amendment of 2018 lowered it to 30.)

Citizens go to the courts to enforce their rights and freedoms against anyone, including the government.

The party with a majority in parliament forms the government; its leader becomes Prime Minister.

The executive carries out (implements) laws.

Non-alignment means not joining either the Western or the Eastern bloc in the Cold War.

Protests led by university students and opposition politicians made the government cancel the defence pact in January 1962.

The Emir's council was made up of officials such as the Waziri (chief adviser), Galadima, Madawaki and Sarkin Fada; the Ciroma title was usually held by a prince.

Igbo society was acephalous: each village governed itself through elders, age grades and assemblies, with no central ruler.

The Aba Women's Riot of 1929 was a protest against rumoured taxation of women and the abuses of warrant chiefs.

Herbert Macaulay was the first president of the NCNC (1944); Azikiwe was its first secretary and became president after Macaulay died in 1946.

A rigid constitution needs a special procedure (e.g. two-thirds majority, approval of states) to amend.

A state is a sovereign political authority over a defined territory.

In a one-party state the law allows only one party; a dominant-party system allows others to exist.

The Nigeria Teachers Institute is a training institution, not a commercial public corporation.

Lugard became Governor-General after the amalgamation of 1914.

Each state had a unicameral House of Assembly; the National Assembly was the federal legislature.

Oracles settled hard disputes and decided guilt (judicial role) and their pronouncements guided community decisions (political role).

Individualism (private property rights) and the Industrial Revolution produced capitalism.

'On a platter of gold' means independence came through talks and constitutional conferences, without an armed struggle.

The Green Revolution (1980) was a programme of Shagari's civilian government; the others were done by military regimes.

Power is the ability to make others act as you want, even against their will.

Learning a trade is vocational training, not learning political values and behaviour.

Public corporations are controlled by ministers, the legislature, the courts and the public (consumers/tax-payers); convicts have no control.

Under Balewa, Nigeria's foreign policy was conservative, cautious and pro-Western.

Britain refused to sell Nigeria some arms (e.g. aircraft) early in the war, so Nigeria turned to the Soviet Union; Britain never recognised Biafra.

(a) Constitution: the body of fundamental laws, rules and conventions that sets up the organs of government, their powers and relationships, and the rights and duties of citizens.
Constitutionalism: the principle that government power must be limited by and exercised according to the constitution; rulers must obey it and actions against it can be declared null and void by the courts.
A country may have a constitution without practising constitutionalism (e.g. when rulers ignore it).
(b) Supremacy of the constitution; rule of law; separation of powers and checks and balances; independent judiciary; protection of fundamental human rights; equality before the law; periodic free elections; peaceful, regular change of government; free press and freedom of opposition; accountability of rulers.

Part (a) must show the difference, not just two definitions.

(a) Rule of law (A. V. Dicey): the supremacy of law over everyone, rulers and ruled.
Supremacy of the law: no arbitrary power; nobody can be punished except for a breach of law proved in a regular court.
Equality before the law: all persons are subject to the same laws and courts.
Protection of rights: individual liberties are guaranteed by the courts/constitution.
(b) Problems: state of emergency suspends some rights; military rule and decrees; diplomatic immunity; immunity of some officers (e.g. President, Governors); special/administrative tribunals; delegated legislation and wide discretionary powers of officials; parliamentary privileges; partial or corrupt judiciary; poverty, illiteracy and ignorance of rights; high cost and delay of justice; detention without trial.

Explain all three principles in (a); give at least five problems in (b).

Reasons for unitary system: small size of territory (e.g. Gambia, Togo); relatively homogeneous population with few ethnic/religious divisions (e.g. Ghana, Sierra Leone); colonial heritage (French centralised administration); desire for strong central government and quick decisions; cheaper to run; promote national unity; scarce resources and manpower; fear of secession.
Reasons others (e.g. Nigeria) adopt federalism: large size and population; ethnic, religious and cultural diversity; fear of domination by majority groups; colonial history (regions created by the British); desire to bring government closer to the people; economic viability of units; protect minorities.

Give examples of countries for both systems.

Brings government closer to the people at the grassroots.
Provides local services: markets, motor parks, primary health care, sanitation, rural roads, primary education.
Serves as a training ground for political leaders.
Promotes political participation and political education.
Collects local revenue (rates, licences, market fees).
Links the people with state and federal governments.
Mobilises people for community development (self-help projects).
Relieves higher governments of local duties.
Preserves local culture and involves traditional rulers.
Creates employment.

Explain each point briefly.

(a) Registers voters and compiles the voters' register; delimits constituencies; registers political parties and monitors their finances; fixes election dates and conducts elections; recruits and trains electoral officers; provides election materials; counts votes and declares results; conducts bye-elections and referendums; educates voters; deals with complaints about the conduct of elections.
(b) Lack of independence (government interference in appointment and funding); inadequate funds and logistics; corruption of officials; poor transport and communication; illiteracy of voters; violence, thuggery and rigging by politicians; partisan security agencies; inaccurate census figures and voters' register; shortage of trained staff; late release of funds.

Several points in each part, with brief explanation.

Was answerable to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and had to obey instructions from London.
British Parliament could legislate for the colony and could question colonial policy.
Colonial Office controlled finances; budgets and loans needed approval.
Laws needed the King's assent; the Crown could disallow ordinances.
Royal Instructions and Letters Patent defined his powers.
Legislative and Executive Councils had to be consulted (though he could overrule them).
Pressure from nationalists, the press and educated elite.
Traditional rulers' authority under indirect rule.
Courts could check unlawful acts.
Pressure from British commercial interests and missionaries.
Shortage of staff and funds.

Explain at least five limitations.

They were excluded from the administration in favour of traditional rulers.
It made traditional rulers autocratic and agents of the colonial government.
Many traditional rulers were illiterate and unfit for modern government.
It encouraged ethnic division and regionalism (divide and rule) rather than national unity.
It slowed down development of modern political institutions and self-government.
It kept the North isolated (limited Western education there).
Warrant chiefs in the East were corrupt and imposed on the people.
It was a cheap way of continuing colonial exploitation.

Explain each reason.

Held in January 1950 to review the Richards Constitution, after consultations from village to regional level.
Nigeria to be a federation with a central government and three regions (North, East, West).
Regional Houses of Assembly to have legislative powers; Houses of Chiefs in the North and West.
A central House of Representatives enlarged, with members elected by the regional houses.
Council of Ministers at the centre and Executive Councils in the regions, with Nigerian ministers.
Northern demand for 50% of seats in the central legislature (equal to East and West combined) accepted.
Revenue allocation based on derivation and other principles.
Regional laws subject to central legislation where they conflict.
These decisions formed the basis of the Macpherson Constitution of 1951.

Focus on the decisions, not the procedure.

Formed from the Lagos Youth Movement (1934, renamed 1936) by leaders such as Ernest Ikoli, H. O. Davis, Samuel Akinsanya, later Azikiwe and Awolowo.
First truly nationalist organisation with a national outlook and branches across Nigeria.
Opposed the inadequate Yaba Higher College and demanded better education.
Won the Lagos Legislative Council elections of 1938, ending NNDP dominance.
Published the Youth Charter (1938) demanding self-government and Africanisation.
Demanded better conditions for African civil servants and the end of discrimination.
Used newspapers (Daily Service) to awaken political awareness.
Trained leaders who later founded major parties (AG, NCNC).
It weakened after the 1941 Akinsanya–Ikoli crisis, which also exposed ethnic divisions.

Contributions with examples and dates.

Meaning: a financial institution of ECOWAS set up by the 1975 Lagos Treaty (headquartered in Lomé, Togo), funded by member states' contributions and other sources.
Uses: compensate member states that lose revenue from the removal of customs duties under trade liberalisation; finance development projects in member states, especially the less developed; fund regional projects such as roads, telecommunications and energy; give loans and guarantees for investment; finance feasibility studies; help states affected by natural disasters; promote balanced development among members.
(It was later restructured into the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, EBID, in 2001.)

Define it and give several uses.