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JAMB Government 2020 past questions and answers

17 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.

Question 1

Judiciary

Judiciary means

  1. A.a body of lawyers
  2. B.a committee of the legislature
  3. C.The highest organ of government
  4. D.none of the above
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (none of the above)

Explanation

The judiciary is the arm of government made up of the courts and judges that interpret the law; none of the options describes it.

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Question 2

Constitutions and Constitutionalism

An example of a country with unwritten constitution is

  1. A.Nigeria
  2. B.United Kingdom
  3. C.U.S.A.
  4. D.Sierra Leone
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (United Kingdom)

Explanation

Britain's constitution is not in one document; it rests on statutes, court decisions and conventions.

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Question 4

Legislature

The legislative arm of government is

  1. A.the cabinet
  2. B.the body that interprets the laws
  3. C.the body that executes the laws
  4. D.the body that makes the laws
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (the body that makes the laws)

Explanation

The legislature makes laws; the executive carries them out and the judiciary interprets them.

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Question 8

Colonial Administration

The crown colony of Lagos was created in

  1. A.1914
  2. B.1861
  3. C.1960
  4. D.1900
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (1861)

Explanation

Britain annexed Lagos in 1861 and made it a crown colony in 1862.

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Question 9

Citizenship, Rights and Duties

All these are civil obligations of every Nigerian citizen except

  1. A.obedience to laws
  2. B.freedom of conscience and religion
  3. C.respect for the national anthem and flag
  4. D.payment of taxes
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (freedom of conscience and religion)

Explanation

Freedom of conscience and religion is a right, not an obligation; the others are duties of a citizen.

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Question 10

Constitutional Development in Nigeria

Why the Lyttleton Constitution is important is

  1. A.introduced franchise into Nigerian politics
  2. B.abolished the principle of indirect rule
  3. C.confirmed Nigeria as a federal structure
  4. D.made Nigeria a sovereign nation
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (confirmed Nigeria as a federal structure)

Explanation

The 1954 Lyttelton Constitution made Nigeria a true federation.

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Question 11

Public Corporations

An important advantage of public corporation is

  1. A.government competes with private enterprises
  2. B.eliminate private enterprises
  3. C.make quick profit at the expense of the people
  4. D.render crucial services to the public in areas which the civil services cannot effectively handle
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (render crucial services to the public in areas which the civil services cannot effectively handle)

Explanation

Public corporations provide essential services, such as power and water, that ordinary ministries cannot run efficiently.

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Question 15

Civil Service

The functions of the Civil Service Commission under 1979 constitution is

  1. A.appointment, promotion and discipline of civil servants
  2. B.appointment of civil service commissioners
  3. C.negotiating better condition of service for civil servants
  4. D.victimize the civil servants
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (appointment, promotion and discipline of civil servants)

Explanation

The Civil Service Commission appoints, promotes and disciplines civil servants.

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Question 17

Presidential and Parliamentary Systems

The major difference between presidential system and parliamentary system is

  1. A.Judicial independence
  2. B.Party system
  3. C.Separation of powers
  4. D.The passage of bills
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (Separation of powers)

Explanation

The presidential system separates the executive from the legislature; the parliamentary system fuses them.

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Question 20

Local Government

The 1976 reforms was a benefit to

  1. A.the civil service
  2. B.the federal government
  3. C.the local government
  4. D.the police
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (the local government)

Explanation

The 1976 reform made local government a recognised third tier with statutory funding.

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Question 28

Nigeria's Foreign Policy

The Nigeria-Cameroun crisis over Bakassi Peninsula was subject to the decision of

  1. A.resolution of the O.A.U
  2. B.Maroua Accord
  3. C.decision of the ECOWAS tribunal
  4. D.decision of the International Court of Justice
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (decision of the International Court of Justice)

Explanation

The International Court of Justice decided the Bakassi case in 2002, in Cameroon's favour; Nigeria handed over the peninsula in 2008.

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Question 31

ECOWAS

The country that withdrew her membership of the ECOWAS is

  1. A.Guinea Bissau
  2. B.Burkina Faso
  3. C.Mauritania
  4. D.Senegal
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (Mauritania)

Explanation

Mauritania left ECOWAS in 2000. (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger also left later, in January 2025, after this paper.)

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Question 37

Forms of Government

A system of government ruled by old people is known as

  1. A.theocracy
  2. B.gerontocracy
  3. C.autocracy
  4. D.aristocracy
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (gerontocracy)

Explanation

Gerontocracy is rule by elders.

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Question 38

Pre-colonial Political Systems

All the following ethnic groups in Northern Nigeria in pre-colonial political structure was influenced by Islamic culture except

  1. A.TIV
  2. B.Kanuri
  3. C.Fulani
  4. D.Nupe
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A (TIV)

Explanation

The Tiv kept their own traditional, non-Islamic, segmentary system.

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Question 39

OPEC and Other International Organisations

Nigeria is a member of the following international organisations except

  1. A.ECOWAS
  2. B.NATO
  3. C.Commonwealth
  4. D.OPEC
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (NATO)

Explanation

NATO is a North Atlantic military alliance; Nigeria is not a member.

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Question 40

Nationalism

The motion for Nigeria's Independence in 1953 was moved by

  1. A.Chief Obafemi Awolowo
  2. B.Chief Anthony Enahoro
  3. C.Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
  4. D.Sir Ahmadu Bello
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B (Chief Anthony Enahoro)

Explanation

Anthony Enahoro of the Action Group moved the self-government motion in 1953.

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Question 42

Constitutional Development in Nigeria

According to 1979 constitution, to be elected as President one must have attained the age of

  1. A.21yrs
  2. B.50yrs
  3. C.35yrs
  4. D.65yrs
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C (35yrs)

Explanation

The 1979 Constitution set 35 years as the minimum age for the President. (Since the 2018 "Not Too Young to Run" amendment the minimum is 35 under the 1999 Constitution too, after being 40.)

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