WAEC Government 1992 past questions and answers

The dissolution of parliament is generally followed by a

1. A.resolution.
2. B.general election.
3. C.referendum.
4. D.bye election.
5. E.plebiscite.

Which of the following is not a means by which government maintains law and order?

1. A.Law making
2. B.Maintenance of police and other security personnel
3. C.Provision of socio- economic services
4. D.Establishment of provisional associations
5. E.Effective communication network

The right to direct and command people is

1. A.authority
2. B.power
3. C.legality
4. D.legitimacy
5. E.obedience.

Which of the following is not a function of the executive arm of government?

1. A.Interpretation of law.
2. B.Preparation of budget.
3. C.Appointment of top government functionaries.
4. D.Enforcement of law .
5. E.Formulation of policy.

A good citizen must be

1. A.an educated and honest tax payer.
2. B.ready to assist law enforcement agents.
3. C.wealthy and ready to save his country.
4. D.educated and obedient to the law.
5. E.educated and ready to assist the poor.

Voting at elections is one of the ways to

1. A.maintain law and order.
2. B.help politicians.
3. C.be a good politician.
4. D.ensure a representative government.
5. E.avoid gerrymandering.

Freedom of the press helps it to

1. A.be above board.
2. B.escape libel charges.
3. C.play a watchdog role.
4. D.educated the masses on politics.
5. E.be loyal to the government.

In a confederation, more powers reside in the

1. A.component units.
2. B.president.
3. C.central government.
4. D.prime minister.
5. E.constituent assembly.

Citizenship may be changed by

1. A.renunciation
2. B.birth
3. C.divorce
4. D.conviction
5. E.employment.

Judiciary independence means that

1. A.judges are above the law.
2. B.judges can do no wrong.
3. C.the judiciary is responsible to the people.
4. D.judges are not influenced in the discharge of their duties.
5. E.judiciary is the supreme organs of the state.

Which of the following is not a prerequisite for the adoption of the federal system of government?

1. A.size
2. B.population
3. C.diversity
4. D.unity
5. E.homogeneity.

Which of the following hinders the expression of public opinion?

1. A.Absence of universities
2. B.Uninformed citizenry
3. C.Labour unions
4. D.Presence of pressure groups
5. E.Well-equipped Police force.

The act of influencing legislation by persuading legislators is known as

1. A.Electioneering.
2. B.Lobbying.
3. C.Gerrymandering.
4. D.Socialization.
5. E.Indoctrination.

Which of the following principal officials of the house is not an elected parliamentarian? The

1. A.Leader
2. B.Speaker
3. C.Deputy Speaker
4. D.Clerk
5. E.Chief Whip.

One major disadvantage of a two-party system is that it

1. A.does not allow citizens to participate in politics.
2. B.divides the country into factions.
3. C.creates two countries.
4. D.stifies public opinion.
5. E.eliminates pressure groups.

"Egbe Omo Oduduwa" was

1. A.the first political party in western state.
2. B.a political association that fought the British.
3. C.the first name of Action Group.
4. D.an association that teamed up with the NYM to fight the NCNC.
5. E.a cultural association that sought the unity of the Yorubas.

The National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroun (NCNC) was formed in

1. A.1923.
2. B.1925.
3. C.1936.
4. D.1944.
5. E.1951.

One of the measures contained in Nigeria's independence constitution to ensure the independence of the judiciary was the establishment of the

1. A.Privy Council.
2. B.Judicial Service Commission.
3. C.Public Complaints Commission.
4. D.Judicial Review Commission.
5. E.West African Court of Appeal.

Which of the following describes the term Collective Responsibility?

1. A.Ministers are responsible to parliament
2. B.The Prime Minister is responsible to parliament
3. C.The Prime Minister is accountable to the Cabinet
4. D.Cabinet Ministers jointly share praises and blames
5. E.Permanent Secretaries are responsible to parliament.

All the following are features of a representative government except

1. A.military rule.
2. B.equality of rights
3. C.legitimacy of government.
4. D.periodic election.
5. E.secession.

The operation of multi-party system often leads to the formation of a

1. A.very strong executive.
2. B.confrontational government.
3. C.multi-governmental system.
4. D.dictatorial government.
5. E.coalition government.

To make elections hitch-free electoral commission must be

1. A.able to punish electoral offenders.
2. B.given a spacious office accommodation.
3. C.ready to help the government.
4. D.independence of the executive.
5. E.headed by the judge or a professor.

In the parliamentary system of government, the ceremonial head of state is the

1. A.Chief Justice.
2. B.Prime Minister.
3. C.Speaker.
4. D.Party leader.
5. E.President.

A tax law emanates from

1. A.the speaker's bill.
2. B.a public bill.
3. C.a judicial bill.
4. D.private bill.
5. E.executive.

Popular sovereignty belongs to the

1. A.government.
2. B.military.
3. C.electorate.
4. D.legislature.
5. E.executive.

Bye-laws are made by

1. A.the police.
2. B.parliament.
3. C.civil servant.
4. D.the senate.
5. E.local authority.

The Nigerian nationalists movement was greatly assisted by the

1. A.trade unions.
2. B.traditional rulers.
3. C.Council for National Awareness.
4. D.Manufacturers' Association of Nigeria.
5. E.Nigeria Medical Council.

Which of the following nationalist was associated with the formation of the National Congress of British West Africa?

1. A.William Du Bios
2. B.Marcus Garvey
3. C.Caseley Hayford
4. D.Nnamdi Azikiwe
5. E.Kwame Nkrumah.

Indirect Rule means

1. A.a system of local administration that makes use of chiefs.
2. B.rule by traditional rulers in council.
3. C.rule by government officials.
4. D.a system of government by a few people.
5. E.a system of government common to all West African colonies.

Whose resignation led to the disintegration of Nigeria Youth Movement in 1941?

1. A.Ernest Okoli
2. B.Samuel Akinsanya
3. C.Herbert Macaulay
4. D.Nnamdi Azikiwe
5. E.Adeyemo Alakija.

The nationalists were not impressed with the constitutional development in Nigeria between 1919 and 1946 because

1. A.the elective principle was limited in many respect.
2. B.Lugard was high-handed.
3. C.the legislative council was dominated by the chiefs.
4. D.Governor Clifford was not given a free hand
5. E.the Governor maltreated the chiefs.

One of the merits of Indirect Rule system was that it

1. A.did not tax the people much.
2. B.allowed educated Africans to participate in government.
3. C.further trained traditional rulers in native administration.
4. D.encouraged democratic principles.
5. E.brought about even development.

One of the criticisms against the policy of assimilation was that it

1. A.recognized the traditional rulers.
2. B.ignored the educated elite.
3. C.did not recognize African culture as good enough.
4. D.recognized all the communities in French West Africa.
5. E.granted French citizenship to all the people in Senegal.

One of the features of the 1946 Richards constitution in Nigeria was

1. A.unofficial majority in the Legislative Council.
2. B.African majority in the Executive Council.
3. C.Ministerial responsibility.
4. D.universal adult suffrage.
5. E.appointment of premiers for the regions.

A common provision in the 1963 and 1979 constitution of Nigeria was the

1. A.registration of political parties by FEDECO.
2. B.direct funding of local governments by the federal government.
3. C.abolition of the Judicial Service Commission.
4. D.establishment of the Public Complaints Commission.
5. E.provision for bicameral legislature at the centre.

The immediate cause of the 1953 Kano riot was the

1. A.existence of regionally-based political parties.
2. B.weakness of 1946 Richards constitution.
3. C.failure of Macapherson's constitution to provide for the post of Prime Minister.
4. D.humiliation of Northern legislators in Lagos.
5. E.ambition of some politicians to secure independence from British by force.

Political parties are formed for all the following reasons except to

1. A.form a government.
2. B.educate the electorate.
3. C.organize elections.
4. D.contest elections.
5. E.canvass for votes.

The coup d'etat of July 29 1966 in Nigeria ousted from government

1. A.Major Nzeogwu.
2. B.Major General Aguiyi Ironsi.
3. C.General Yakubu Gowon.
4. D.General Murtala Muhammed.
5. E.General Olusegun Obasanjo.

The 1976 local government reform was innovative because it

1. A.provided for indirect election
2. B.gave traditional rulers political power.
3. C.gave wide powers to councillors.
4. D.empowered chairmen to appoint their secretaries.
5. E.harmonized local government structure in Nigeria.

Which of the following was provided for in the 1979 constitution of Nigeria?

1. A.Council of National Awareness
2. B.National Security Council
3. C.Cocoa Research Council
4. D.Military Arbitration Panel
5. E.Council of National Commissioners.

Nigeria contributed to the South African Liberation Fund because

1. A.a Nigerian was made the chairman of the OAU liberation Committee.
2. B.Africa is the centrepiece of Nigeria's foreign policy.
3. C.of her desire to eradicate racial discrimination in Africa.
4. D.she is the richest African country.
5. E.she hates South Africa.

Which of the following is not a duty of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Organization?

1. A.Bringing to the notice of the Security Council matters that threaten world peace and security
2. B.Using his good office to help in resolving international disputes
3. C.Organizing international conferences on problems of world wide concern
4. D.Presiding over Security Council meetings
5. E.Preparing Annual Reports on the organization's activities.

Nigeria's diplomatic representative in Britain is known as

1. A.High Commissioner.
2. B.Ambassador Plenipotentiary.
3. C.Charge d' Affairs.
4. D.Ambassador.
5. E.Permanent Representative.

The first Secretary-General of the Commonwealth was

1. A.Joseph Lindsay.
2. B.Ian Smith.
3. C.Arnold Smith.
4. D.Clement Atlee.
5. E.Winston Churchill.

Africa is the centrepiece of Nigeria's foreign policy because

1. A.of Nigeria's leadership role in Africa.
2. B.it is in line with United Nations charter.
3. C.Nigerians wish it to be so.
4. D.it is a mandate from the colonialist.
5. E.it is a mandate from African leaders.

To which of the following groups did Nigeria belong during the formative stage of OAU?

1. A.Brazzaville
2. B.Cassablanca
3. C.Monrovia
4. D.Malagasy
5. E.Moderates.

The chairman of the UN Conciliation Commission on the 1960 Congo crisis was

1. A.Dag Hammarskjold.
2. B.Kwame Nkrumah.
3. C.Jaja Nwachukwu.
4. D.Tubman of Liberia.
5. E.Sylvanus Olympio.

The United Nations Secretary-General is appointed by the

1. A.Secretariat.
2. B.Economic and Social Council.
3. C.International Court of Justice.
4. D.General Assembly.
5. E.UNO's international appointment committee.

The United Nations's Day is celebrated on

1. A.March 14.
2. B.May 5.
3. C.August 11.
4. D.September 17.
5. E.October 24.

The Secretary-General who succeeded Dag Hammarskjold was

1. A.Trygve Lie.
2. B.U. Thant.
3. C.Kurt Waldheim.
4. D.Perez DeCuellar.
5. E.Arnold Smith.

Section A (answer any two questions from this section)
Outline the major features of the constitution of a state.

Section A (answer any two questions from this section)
Define pressure group and explain their mode of operation.

Section A (answer any two questions from this section)
Explain the various stages of passing bill into law.

Section A (answer any two questions from this section)
Describe the functions of the prime minister in a cabinet system of government.

Section A (answer any two questions from this section)
Discuss the characteristics of the civil service.

Section B (answer any two questions from this section)
What were the features of the French colonial administration in West Africa?

Section B (answer any two questions from this section)
Why did the Macpherson constitution of 1951 break down?

Section B (answer any two questions from this section)
Highlight the functions of the President in the 1979 Constitution of Nigeria.

Section B (answer any two questions from this section)
Discuss the principles considered in the allocation of revenue in Nigeria.

Section B (answer any two questions from this section)
Give reasons to show that Nigeria is a non-aligned nation.