JAMB Government 1981 past questions and answers

A permanent civil service

1. A.makes continuity in government possible
2. B.makes civil servants arrogant
3. C.promotes ethnic domination
4. D.is undemocratic
5. E.undermines the authority of government

The philosophy and fundamental laws of a country are contained in its

1. A.manifesto
2. B.constitution
3. C.party programme
4. D.decrees
5. E.edicts

The main role of pressure groups is to

1. A.oppose oppressive legislation
2. B.protect the interest of the country against foreign power
3. C.resist temptation of gifts made by multi-national companies to influence their judgement
4. D.promote the interests of the political parties
5. E.influence legislation in order to benefit their members

The power of British Trade Unions now constitutes

1. A.a real threat to the Queen and the British Establishment
2. B.a danger to the Judiciary
3. C.a threat to the House of Lords
4. D.a challenge to the idea of Parliamentary Sovereignty
5. E.a menace to the Confederation of British Industries

Collective responsibility means that

1. A.all ministers are collectively responsible to the prime minister
2. B.ministers are collectively responsible to the parliament
3. C.no minister may publicly criticise decisions made collectively in cabinet without first resigning
4. D.ministers must first clear their public statements on policy matters with the Cabinet Office before delivering them
5. E.ministers must always show a sense of responsibility towards one another

Under the presidential system of government in Nigeria

1. A.there is no formal opposition in the national legislature
2. B.the Majority Leader exercises power which is equal to that of the President
3. C.State governments do not have any powers except those allowed by the Central Government
4. D.the President has absolute power
5. E.the personal staff of the President are civil servants

Under the United States Constitution

1. A.Congress is supreme
2. B.the Supreme Court is dominant
3. C.the Presidency is clearly superior in practice to the other two branches of government
4. D.black Americans enjoy preferential treatment to compensate for past injustices
5. E.no branch of government can function without co-operating with the others

The British constitution, by being unwrittten,

1. A.encourages the dominance of the Prime Minister
2. B.gives room for the development of conventions
3. C.makes the Parliamentary system unworkable
4. D.allows unquestionable parliamentary sovereignty
5. E.enables the Queen to do no wrong

Constitutions are useful documents because they

1. A.suppress individual rights and liberties
2. B.provide ammunition to different sides in ideological disputes
3. C.reward the patriotic and punish traitors
4. D.lay down broad guidelines for national political interaction
5. E.highlight the procedures for the creation of new states

Franchise means

1. A.ability to speak French
2. B.membership of the Franco-phone community
3. C.the right to choose representatives to the Legislature
4. D.the right to vote
5. E.voter's cards

The Nigerian electoral system gives voting rights to

1. A.aliens
2. B.Africans above the age of twenty one
3. C.children over twelve years old
4. D.Nigerian citizens who are 18 years old and above
5. E.friends of Nigeria

The inalienable rights of the citizens are best protected through

1. A.mass participation in political processes
2. B.an independent and fearless judiciary
3. C.a cabinet system of government
4. D.a good head of state
5. E.a written constitution

The primary function of the judiciary is to

1. A.interpret laws
2. B.make laws
3. C.regulate behaviour
4. D.execute laws
5. E.safeguard independence

The main function of the National Assembly is to

1. A.fix salaries for all the state governors
2. B.make laws for the country
3. C.pass motions on the welfare of the legislators
4. D.direct public attention to the excesses of public officials
5. E.condemn the South African government for its policy of apartheid

The decision of the Supreme Court of Nigeria is

1. A.subject to appeal
2. B.subject to judicial review
3. C.final
4. D.B and C
5. E.none of the above

The doctrine of the separation of powers is based on the assumption that

1. A.those who hold power may encroach on the liberties of the powerless
2. B.power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely
3. C.man is a political animal
4. D.man has inalienable rights
5. E.A and B

Constitutions have been classified as rigid or as flexible according to

1. A.whether they were written or unwritten
2. B.whether they were popular or unpopular
3. C.the relative ease or difficulty of the writing process
4. D.the relative ease or difficulty of the amending process
5. E.all of the above

The first nationalist political party in post-World War-II Nigeria was

1. A.NEPU
2. B.NPC
3. C.NCNC
4. D.AG
5. E.UMBC

Lord Lugard is widely regarded as

1. A.the most imaginative governor in the British colonies
2. B.the originator of the 'durbar' ceremony in Northern Nigeria
3. C.the best friend which Southern Nigerian nationalist leaders ever had
4. D.the 'father' of Indirect Rule
5. E.an anti-imperialist

Nationalism in West Africa aimed at

1. A.working out an alliance with the colonial regimes
2. B.bringing all the educated elite together
3. C.the attainment of political independence from Britain
4. D.the attainment of political independence from the colonisers
5. E.founding an economic union like ECOWAS

The Nigerian Youth Movement was founded in

1. A.1920
2. B.1922
3. C.1936
4. D.1937
5. E.1945

The Richards Constitution in Nigeria provided for the

1. A.total independence of the country
2. B.introduction of self-government
3. C.unification of the territories ruled by Britain in West Africa
4. D.division of Nigeria into three administrative units
5. E.replacement of the colonial governor within Nigeria

One important aspect of the Lyttleton Constitution was the

1. A.abolition of the regional Houses of Assembly
2. B.granting of greater regional autonomy
3. C.declaration that Nigeria would be independent in 1960
4. D.enormous powers given to the colonial governors
5. E.creation of the post of a Federal Prime Minister

The Guggisberg Constitution of 1925 in Ghana

1. A.strengthened the authority of natural rulers
2. B.weakened the authority of natural rulers
3. C.enhanced the status of the educated elite
4. D.abolished the post of colonial governor
5. E.made no provision for unofficial members in the Legislative Council

The three well-known national leaders in Nigeria between 1948 and 1966 were

1. A.Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Ahmadu Bello
2. B.Lord Lugard, Sir Arthur Richards and Sir John Macpherson
3. C.Herbert Macaulay, Ernest Okoli and Okokon Ndem
4. D.Alhaji Isa Kaita, Dr K.O. Mbadiwe and Chief S.L. Akintola
5. E.Mallam Aminu Kano, Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony and J.S. Tarka

The four British colonial territories in West Africa were

1. A.Ivory Coast, Gambia, Nigeria and Senegal
2. B.Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia and Sierra Leone
3. C.Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria and Gambia
4. D.Senegal, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Ghana
5. E.Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia and Senegal

The system of Indirect Rule in Nigeria

1. A.enhanced the attainment of political independence
2. B.provided employment for educated Nigerians
3. C.slowed down the nationalist movements
4. D.suited the traditional political systems of Eastern Nigeria
5. E.was based on democratic principles

The main goals of colonial administration in Nigeria were the

1. A.industrialization and expansion of the economy
2. B.education and employment of Nigerians
3. C.preservation and protection of traditional heritage
4. D.maintenance of law, order and exploitation of the national wealth
5. E.introduction and protection of human rights

The 1958 Constitutional Conferences responded to the fears of minorities by recommending the

1. A.creation of the Mid-Western Region
2. B.formation of a national government
3. C.regionalization of the public service
4. D.entrenchment of fundamental human rights
5. E.creation of the office of Inspector General of Police

The breakdown of the Macpherson Constitution was partly caused by the crisis within the

1. A.Action Group
2. B.National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroon
3. C.Northern People's Congress
4. D.Democratic Party
5. E.Nigerian National Democratic Party

Cultural assimilation was a feature of

1. A.French colonial policy in Africa
2. B.the Portuguese rule in Angola
3. C.the British rule in Africa
4. D.King Leopold's rule in the Congo
5. E.A and B

Which former Head of State of Ghana was executed during the rule of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC)?

1. A.General J.A. Ankrah
2. B.General A. A. Afrifah
3. C.Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings
4. D.Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
5. E.Dr. Kofi Busia

Where is the Headquarters of the fund of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)?

1. A.Lagos
2. B.Accra
3. C.Cotonou
4. D.Abidjan
5. E.Lome

The President of Nigeria

1. A.has a tenure of seven years
2. B.has to be elected every four years
3. C.has a tenure of five years
4. D.cannot seek re-election
5. E.is elected for life

President Shehu Shagari was elected

1. A.by the Election Tribunal
2. B.by the Supreme Court
3. C.on the first ballot
4. D.by the Federal Electoral Commission
5. E.by the National Assembly

The Organization of African Unity was established for the main purpose of

1. A.opposing imperialism in all its forms and manifestations
2. B.establishing an African High Command
3. C.protecting the human rights of all Africans wherever they may live
4. D.creating an African Common Market
5. E.encouraging cooperation and unity among African States

Once a country changes from military to civilian rule, future military rule becomes

1. A.impossible
2. B.a matter of time
3. C.a question only of the wishes of senior military officers
4. D.difficult if the civilian regime pursues popular and widely beneficial policies
5. E.possible through foreign military intervention

The headquarters of registered political parties in Nigeria must be located in

1. A.the federal capital
2. B.the state where most of their supporters come from
3. C.any state capital
4. D.the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria
5. E.none of the above

The head of the Judiciary in every state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is called

1. A.Honourable Chief Justice
2. B.Head of Judicial Service
3. C.Grand Khadi
4. D.President Customary Court of Appeal
5. E.Chief Judge

Which pair of West African countries influenced each other's post-independence political development most?

1. A.Nigeria and Gambia
2. B.Ghana and Sierra Leone
3. C.Togo and Liberia
4. D.Nigeria and Ghana
5. E.Gambia and Togo

With the adoption of the presidential system of government, Nigeria ceased to

1. A.have a representative government
2. B.be a member of the Commonwealth
3. C.have different Head of State and Government
4. D.operate a bicameral legislature
5. E.operate the principle of separation of powers

Public corporations are set up to

1. A.make profits
2. B.compete with the private sector
3. C.cater for those businesses that cannot be left entirely to private enterprise
4. D.get board appointments for politicians
5. E.enhance the prestige of the government

The Commonwealth is an organization

1. A.of all states formerly in the British Empire
2. B.of most of the states in the defunct British Empire
3. C.of all English-speaking countries of the world
4. D.of only Asian and African countries
5. E.which effectively coordinates the policies of its members

The highest legislative body in Nigeria is the

1. A.National Council of States
2. B.State Assembly
3. C.House of Representatives
4. D.Senate
5. E.National Assembly

Under the constitution of the Second Federal Republic of Nigeria, statutory allocation of revenue to local government councils is the responsibility of the

1. A.President
2. B.Governor
3. C.National Assembly
4. D.House of Assembly
5. E.National Economic Council

In 1964, the National Council of Nigerian Citizens and the Action Group formed the

1. A.Coalition Government
2. B.Nigerian Advance Party
3. C.Nigerian National Alliance
4. D.United Progressive Grand Alliance
5. E.National Emergency Committee

The local government reforms of 1976 in Nigeria were designed to

1. A.decentralize authority
2. B.increase political socialization
3. C.enlist grassroot support
4. D.achieve even development
5. E.all of the above

The use of the veto in the Security Council is

1. A.limited only to permanent members
2. B.the prerogative of all its members
3. C.the exclusive right of the two super powers – the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.
4. D.on a rotational basis
5. E.all of the above