JAMB Government 1982 past questions and answers

Universal Suffrage means

1. A.adult participation in politics
2. B.giving voting right to women above the age of 21
3. C.property ownership
4. D.citizens who understand why they vote
5. E.the right of qualified adults to vote

In the Parliamentary System of government, executive powers are vested in

1. A.the President
2. B.Parliament
3. C.the Party in government
4. D.the Cabinet
5. E.a few powerful men in the country

In a federal system, powers that are allocated to both Central and State governments are called

1. A.exclusive
2. B.concurrent
3. C.arbitrary
4. D.copyrights
5. E.residual

In a democracy, political power is exercised by

1. A.the majority
2. B.the literate public
3. C.the few wealthy
4. D.one person
5. E.the monarchy

The purpose of registration before elections is to

1. A.know the total population of a country
2. B.know the names of all taxable adults
3. C.know the number of people that support each political party
4. D.guard against fraud at elections
5. E.identify citizens and non-citizens of a state

In a parliamentary system of government, the head of government is usually

1. A.the head of state
2. B.selected from the upper chamber
3. C.a graduate of a university
4. D.the prime minister
5. E.elected by the whole country

In the presidential system in Nigeria the Chief Executive remains in office for

1. A.a period of eight years
2. B.a fixed term
3. C.as long as he enjoys popular support
4. D.two terms
5. E.a period of six years

The idea of democracy as a system of government was inherited from

1. A.The USA
2. B.Italy
3. C.England
4. D.Greece
5. E.China

We say that a constitution is rigid if

1. A.the sources are too many
2. B.the constitution is foreign
3. C.it has no chapter on human rights
4. D.the provisions are too detailed
5. E.the process of changing it is too cumbersome

All of the following are obligations of citizens, except

1. A.giving money to beggars
2. B.obedience to laws
3. C.voting
4. D.payment of taxes
5. E.loyalty to the nation

Which of the following terms is different from the others?

1. A.Totalitarianism
2. B.Fascism
3. C.Dictatorship
4. D.Authoritarianism
5. E.Constitutionalism

Anonymity of the civil servant means that civil servants must

1. A.serve any government impartially
2. B.be politically neutral
3. C.have job security
4. D.avoid nepotism and favouritism
5. E.not receive the credit or blame for any good or bad policy

A court order directing a detainee to be brought to court is called

1. A.referendum
2. B.summons
3. C.injunction
4. D.habeas corpus
5. E.prerogative

To say that a country has a multi-party system means that

1. A.there are only two political parties in existence
2. B.only two parties can contest elections
3. C.the constitution recognizes more than one party
4. D.more than one party should form the government at a time
5. E.manifestos of all political parties are the same

Pressure groups are important because they

1. A.enjoy publicity
2. B.manage political crisis for their members
3. C.sponsor candidates for election
4. D.represent groups who may otherwise be ignored
5. E.are not interested in the welfare of the State

A constituency is the same as

1. A.a local government area
2. B.a region in a federal system of government
3. C.an electoral district
4. D.any large town where people vote
5. E.the ward

In the British parliamentary system, if parliament passes a vote of no confidence on the government, the Prime Minister

1. A.must change some ministers
2. B.can ask the Queen to resign
3. C.can dismiss some top civil servants
4. D.and his cabinet may feel obliged to resign
5. E.can dissolve the opposition party

Which of these is NOT a method of election?

1. A.Co-option
2. B.Second ballot
3. C.Proportional representation
4. D.Primary election
5. E.Simple majority

An unwritten constitution is the one where

1. A.no part of the constitution is ever written down
2. B.the whole constitution is not contained in any one document
3. C.the constitution is based on the wishes of the prime minister
4. D.the constitution can be amended by a simple majority

A body of people and institutions that make and enforce laws for a particular society is called

1. A.government
2. B.dictatorship
3. C.anarchy
4. D.totalitarianism
5. E.democracy

The idea of putting everyone under two levels of government at the same time is called

1. A.dual policy
2. B.dual mandate
3. C.dual citizenship
4. D.federalism
5. E.nationalism

A constitution refers to

1. A.any written legal document
2. B.basic rules for conducting the affairs of any organization
3. C.the doctrine that the power of government must be limited
4. D.rules adopted in legislative procedures
5. E.the separation of powers

One of the fundamental features of capitalism is

1. A.that the major factors of production are privately owned
2. B.the predominance of the public sector in the economy
3. C.the elimination of all forms of competition
4. D.the rule of the few
5. E.the entrenchment of social rights

A federal system of government is the one in which

1. A.power is concentrated in the hands of one of the governments
2. B.subordinate units of government exercise sovereign power
3. C.the state governors can sue the central government
4. D.power is shared between the central government and local governments
5. E.power is shared between the central and state governments

The membership of pressure groups is limited because they

1. A.pursue specific and narrow objectives
2. B.are mainly concerned with public interests
3. C.promote other people's interests
4. D.are not friendly
5. E.are not patriotic

The OAU was founded to

1. A.effect an immediate political union of African States
2. B.end colonialism in Africa by 1970
3. C.promote the unity and solidarity of African states
4. D.create a common market in sub-Saharan Africa
5. E.prevent other regional groups from being set up in Africa

Under the present local government system in Nigeria, local councils get the bulk of their finances from

1. A.rates and taxes
2. B.state governments
3. C.the federal government
4. D.self-help schemes
5. E.fines and penalties by the courts

The United Nations Organization was founded to

1. A.end the Second World War
2. B.end the Nigerian Civil War
3. C.promote world peace
4. D.co-ordinate the activities of all its members
5. E.co-ordinate the activities of regional organizations

Before it became effective, the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was finally approved by

1. A.the Nigerian Labour Congress
2. B.the National Assembly
3. C.the Supreme Military Council
4. D.a referendum
5. E.all adult voters in Nigeria

Bye-laws are usually made and enforced by

1. A.state governments
2. B.trade unions
3. C.local authorities
4. D.the Chief Inspector of Police
5. E.the Senate

The Organization of African Unity was set up in

1. A.1960
2. B.1957
3. C.1963
4. D.1975
5. E.1979

One of the earliest political institutions set up in the colonial period to allow for local participation in politics was the

1. A.Supreme Military Council
2. B.Legislative Council
3. C.Federal Executive Council
4. D.Willink's Commission
5. E.Public Service Commission

The Nigerian 1979 Constitution gives the right to vote to

1. A.every resident alien in Nigeria
2. B.every Nigerian child
3. C.all secondary school children
4. D.all Nigerians below the age of seventeen
5. E.all Nigerians of eighteen years and above

The Nigerian 1981 Revenue Allocation Act entitled the local governments to?

1. A.20 per cent
2. B.12 per cent
3. C.31 per cent
4. D.58.5 per cent
5. E.10 per cent

The Nigerian Federal Legislature is

1. A.bicameral
2. B.unicameral
3. C.called the House of Assembly
4. D.called the House of Representatives
5. E.the Senate

Ghana was led into independence by

1. A.Dr. J.B. Danquah
2. B.Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
3. C.Dr. K.A. Busia
4. D.Mr. Akuffo Addo
5. E.Mr. Krobo Edusei

Which of the following was the last Constitution formulated for Nigeria without Nigerian participation?

1. A.The Clifford (1922) Constitution
2. B.The Richards (1946) Constitution
3. C.The Macpherson (1951) Constitution
4. D.The Lyttleton (1954) Constitution
5. E.The Independence Constitution

Which of the parties listed below was founded by Herbert Macaulay in 1923?

1. A.The Nigerian Youth Movement
2. B.The Action Group
3. C.The Northern People's Congress
4. D.The Nigerian National Democratic Party
5. E.The National Council of Nigerian Citizens

In which of the following institutions does the 1979 Constitution of Nigeria provide for the representation of traditional rulers?

1. A.The Senate
2. B.National House of Chiefs
3. C.The Population Bureau
4. D.Council of States
5. E.National Economic Council

The Economic Commission for Africa is an agency of

1. A.ECOWAS
2. B.the OCAM
3. C.the Commonwealth
4. D.the OAU
5. E.the United Nations

Where is the administrative headquarters of ECOWAS?

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

Under the 1979 Nigerian Constitution, State Electoral Commissions are to conduct

1. A.gubernatorial election
2. B.elections into state Houses of Assembly
3. C.local government elections
4. D.all elections
5. E.Presidential elections

The body whose responsibility it is to recruit the senior staff of local government councils in Nigeria is the

1. A.Public Service Commission
2. B.State Ministry of Local Government
3. C.Emirate or Council of Chiefs
4. D.President
5. E.local government council

The Richards Constitution in Nigeria provided for the

1. A.House of Chiefs in the Western Region
2. B.unofficial majority in the Legislative Council
3. C.appointment of Nigerians as Chief Judges
4. D.House of Chiefs in the Eastern Region
5. E.banning of the Trade Union Movement

Which of the following countries operates a single party system?

1. A.Ghana
2. B.Nigeria
3. C.Tanzania
4. D.Uganda
5. E.France

The main function of the Legislative Council in British Colonial West Africa was to

1. A.advise the Governor on policy
2. B.make the law
3. C.execute the law
4. D.interpret the law
5. E.act as a disciplinary body for the civil servants

The judicial organ of the United Nations is the

1. A.Security Council
2. B.Trusteeship Council
3. C.International Court of Justice
4. D.General Assembly
5. E.European Court

Which of the following countries has the right to veto the decision of the Security Council?

1. A.Australia
2. B.Switzerland
3. C.China
4. D.Canada
5. E.Japan

The primary function of the Economic and Social Council of the UN is to

1. A.improve the social relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union
2. B.maintain world peace and security
3. C.assist in the development of member states
4. D.lift customs barriers between petroleum producing and non-petroleum producing countries
5. E.encourage trade between Third World and European countries

Which of the following countries voted 'no' in the referendum conducted by France in 1958?

1. A.Ivory Coast
2. B.Togo
3. C.Cameroon
4. D.Republic of Benin
5. E.Guinea