WAEC Government 1997 past questions and answers

Government as an institution of the state means the

1. A.method of organizing parties and pressure groups
2. B.process of decision-making in a society
3. C.methods of resolution of conflicts among the people
4. D.structures and systems for decision-making in society
5. E.method of recruiting political leaders.

In a feudal system, the hierarchy of citizens is the king,

1. A.nobles and lords
2. B.queen and lords
3. C.knights and nobles
4. D.serfs and knights
5. E.lords and serfs.

The ability of leaders to make and enforce decisions in a state is called

1. A.sovereignty
2. B.political power
3. C.socialization
4. D.legitimacy
5. E.democratic process.

The idea of separation of powers as a political concept was developed by

1. A.Louis Monstesquieu
2. B.A.V. Dicey
3. C.Thomas Hobbes
4. D.Karl Marx
5. E.Jean Bodin.

Fascist movement has its origin in

1. A.Germany
2. B.Italy
3. C.Spain
4. D.The defunct Soviet Union
5. E.Japan.

Which of the following factors enhances the operation of the Rule of Law?

1. A.Well-equipped police force
2. B.Establishment of modern press
3. C.Independent judiciary
4. D.Enlightened citizens
5. E.Respect for the leaders

An important reason for granting the Judiciary the power of Judicial Review is to enable it to

1. A.uphold the supremacy of the Constitution
2. B.promote freedom of the press
3. C.elevate the Judiciary above the other organs
4. D.demonstrate the independence of the Judiciary.

The Judiciary is independence when judges are

1. A.popularly elected into political offices
2. B.free to join any political party of their choice
3. C.free from external control and interference
4. D.empowered to amend the national constitution
5. E.absolutely free to control the Executive and Legislature.

Which of the following comprises the President, the Ministers, the Civil Servants and the Police? The

1. A.Armed Forces
2. B.Judiciary
3. C.Legislature
4. D.Executive
5. E.Council of States.

A constitution can be defined as

1. A.the rules guiding parliamentary procedures
2. B.a legal document to guide judges
3. C.the constituent elements of a contractual agreement
4. D.all written laws of a state
5. E.the rules guiding the affairs of an institution of society.

The constitution of federal system is usually

1. A.written and rigid
2. B.superior in content
3. C.difficult to understand
4. D.for the use of the federal government only
5. E.suspended for a general elections.

Constitutionalism emphasizes that those who govern the state should do so according to

1. A.their whims and caprices
2. B.laid-down rules of public behaviour
3. C.the direction of judges
4. D.the dictates of their egos
5. E.the dictates of their critics.

One of the features of a unitary state is that

1. A.a two-party system is usually entrenched in the constitution
2. B.members of Parliament are selected
3. C.power is shared among all levels of government
4. D.the civil service is supreme
5. E.the constitution is flexible.

Impeachment as an instrument of check on the Executive is useful mainly in a

1. A.federal system
2. B.cabinet system
3. C.unitary system
4. D.presidential system
5. E.republican system.

Fundamental human rights are entrenched in the Constitution of a state in order to

1. A.encourage unlimited freedom
2. B.enable the courts to punish offenders
3. C.restrict the liberty of citizens
4. D.make the government popular
5. E.guarantee the liberty of citizens.

An alien could become a legal member of a state by

1. A.migration
2. B.employment
3. C.naturalization
4. D.socialization
5. E.conversion

A Nigerian may lose his citizenship if he

1. A.is convicted for a criminal offence
2. B.renounces it in exchange for another
3. C.loses his international passport
4. D.is deported from a foreign country
5. E.fails to pay his taxes.

Two-party system implies that only two parties

1. A.exist in the country
2. B.can contest elections
3. C.can form a coalition
4. D.can register members
5. E.are capable of capturing power.

The ultimate aim of a political party is to

1. A.influence government policies
2. B.gain control of government
3. C.seek to discredit the government
4. D.provide for the welfare of its members
5. E.make government more effective.

Political parties mobilize the support of the electorate by

1. A.promoting violence
2. B.campaigning
3. C.rigging elections
4. D.encouraging coup d'etats
5. E.making laws.

Which of the following will produce a weak government?

1. A.Coalition
2. B.Two-party system
3. C.General elections
4. D.Presidential
5. E.Military

The main objective of pressure groups is to

1. A.fund election campaigns
2. B.change the government by violent means
3. C.influence government policies
4. D.change the manifestos of all political parties
5. E.form the government.

Lobbying mainly involves the application of pressure on

1. A.people in commerce through monetary gifts
2. B.legislators through material gifts
3. C.people in government through persuasive arguments
4. D.legislator by intimidation and blackmail
5. E.trade unions through offer of gift.

Membership of pressure groups is usually limited because they

1. A.pursue specific and narrow objectives
2. B.seek unlimited freedom for their members
3. C.promote other people's interests
4. D.are not patriotic
5. E.have dictatorial leaders.

For an Electoral Commission to conduct a free and fair election, it must be

1. A.controlled by the government
2. B.funded by only one of the political parties
3. C.an impartial and independent body
4. D.supervised by a government agency
5. E.headed by a Justice of the Supreme Court.

An electoral college refers to

1. A.training school for electoral officers
2. B.medium of indirect election
3. C.means of educating the electorate
4. D.place where public opinion is formed
5. E.process by which party leaders acquire knowledge.

An indirect election takes place when

1. A.election is conducted for seats in the legislature
2. B.voting is by proxy
3. C.election result is decided by the Judiciary
4. D.elected representatives vote on behalf of the electorate
5. E.there is rigging of elections.

A bye-election is conducted when

1. A.the Parliament is dissolved
2. B.the Chief Justice resigns or dies
3. C.a Minister resigns
4. D.the military takes over government
5. E.some vacant seats exist in Parliament.

Which of the following was a requirement for suffrage under the first elections in Nigeria in 1923?

1. A.A minimum income of £100 per annum
2. B.12-month residence in Europe
3. C.24-month residence in the capital city
4. D.Being a male adult and legally married
5. E.Status of a British citizen.

Who among the following is a civil servant in Nigeria?

1. A.The managing director of a bank
2. B.A director in the Ministry of Defence
3. C.A major in the Army
4. D.A Commissioner of Police
5. E.A Pilot with the Nigerian Airways.

The main duty of the Civil Service Commission under the Nigerian Republican Constitution was

1. A.the retirement and settlement of pension for federal civil servants
2. B.advising the government on the establishment of new ministries
3. C.the appointment and promotion of judges
4. D.the recruitment, discipline and promotion of civil servants
5. E.determining the policies of each government department.

Neutrality of civil servants implies that they should

1. A.belong to political parties of their choice
2. B.be recruited on the basis of merit
3. C.serve any government loyally
4. D.be appointed on permanent basis
5. E.not be liable to blame or praise for their actions.

One of the features of the Local Government Reforms of 1976 in Nigeria is the

1. A.reduction of financial aids to local governments
2. B.establishment of local government police
3. C.establishment of traditional institutions in each local government
4. D.introduction of full-time chairmen and supervisory councillors
5. E.re-introduction of divisional councils.

Government control of public corporations in Nigeria is mainly to

1. A.ensure public accountability
2. B.allow freedom of action on the part of the corporations
3. C.guarantee profit maximization of the corporations
4. D.protect the appointment of foreigners in the corporations
5. E.encourage ethnic domination in the corporations.

Who among the following could pass death sentence on an accused person in the pre-colonial Yoruba Kingdom? The

1. A.Paramount Ruler
2. B.Provincial Heads
3. C.Queen Mother
4. D.Cults
5. E.Family Heads.

The French policy of Assimilation attempted to

1. A.use chiefs as intermediaries between the government and the citizens
2. B.Africanize the civil service
3. C.make the Africans think and behave like French citizens
4. D.allow Africans develop on their own
5. E.establish legislative councils for the Africans.

Where was Indirect Rule successfully practised before it was introduced to Africa?

1. A.Latin America
2. B.India
3. C.Britain
4. D.Japan
5. E.USA.

Which of the following best describes the administration of a Crown Colony?

1. A.administration of a colony through local chiefs
2. B.appointment of local chiefs as Governors-General of the colonial territories by the home government
3. C.oppressive rule by the British home government
4. D.direct rule of the colonial territories by the British home government.

One of the effects of the agitations by the National Congress of British West Africa in the 1920s was the

1. A.establishment of Town Councils in the Protectorate
2. B.abolition of racial discrimination in the Civil Service
3. C.deposition of traditional rulers by Africans
4. D.election of Africans into the Legislative Councils
5. E.permission of African lawyers to practise in court.

Which of the following is a result of nationalist activities in French West Africa?

1. A.Indigenat
2. B.Free Trade
3. C.Negritude
4. D.Direct Rule
5. E.The Loi Cadre.

The General Conference of 1950 on Nigeria was held in

1. A.Jos
2. B.Ibadan
3. C.London
4. D.Enugu
5. E.New York.

One defect of the Macpherson Constitution was that

1. A.franchise was still limited to Lagos and Calabar
2. B.Nigerians were not given representation in the Parliament
3. C.Nigerian ministers were not charged with full ministerial responsibility
4. D.Nigerians were not consulted before introducing the constitution
5. E.Nigerians could not discuss their own affairs in the regional assemblies.

The regionalization of the Civil Service in Nigeria could be traced to the

1. A.Nigerian Council of 1914
2. B.Clifford Constitution of 1922
3. C.Richard Constitution of 1946
4. D.General Conference of 1950
5. E.Lyttleton Constitution of 1954.

The 1979 Constitution of Nigeria introduced a system of government similar to that of

1. A.China
2. B.Britain
3. C.France
4. D.Australia
5. E.USA.

Under a federal system of government, a citizen living in any part of the country is expected to obey laws made by the

1. A.Federal Government only
2. B.Federal and Local Governments
3. C.Local Government only
4. D.Federal, State and Local Governments
5. E.Federal and State Governments.

The principle for sharing the wealth of the nation among the different levels of government is called

1. A.delegated legislation
2. B.revenue allocation
3. C.bicameralism
4. D.checks and balances
5. E.taxation.

The first political party in Nigeria was formed by

1. A.Chief Obafemi Awolowo
2. B.Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
3. C.Chief H.O. Davies
4. D.Alhaji Aminu Kano
5. E.Sir Herbert Macaulay.

The political parties that formed the Opposition in the House of Representatives during the First Republic in Nigeria were the

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

Which of the following political parties entered into an accord at the centre after the 1979 General Election in Nigeria?

1. A.NPN and NPP
2. B.NPP and UPN
3. C.GNPP and NPN
4. D.NPN and UPN
5. E.UPE and PRP.

One of the problems of military administrations in West Africa is that soldiers

1. A.are representatives of the people
2. B.lack of discipline
3. C.are not well organized
4. D.are not trained for governance
5. E.are young but experienced.

Which of the following is not a process in the transition from military to civilian rule?

1. A.Drafting of a new constitution
2. B.Appointment of ministers
3. C.Setting up of a constituent assembly
4. D.Arrangement for and conduct of elections
5. E.Swearing in of a new president.

Nigeria's relations with other countries are determined largely by the

1. A.national interest
2. B.political culture
3. C.Traditional rulers
4. D.opinions of exporters
5. E.trade unions.

Nigeria belongs to all the following international organizations except the

1. A.Organization of African Unity (OAU)
2. B.United Nations Organization (UNO)
3. C.North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
4. D.Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
5. E.Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Which of the following Heads of State initiated the formation of ECOWAS?

1. A.Yakubu Gowon and Gnasingbe Eyadema
2. B.Dauda Jawara and Abdoul Diouf
3. C.Sekou Toure and Joseph Momoh
4. D.Thomas Sankara and Samuel Doe
5. E.Ahmadu Ahidjo and Paul Biya.

An international organization which has former British colonies as its members is the

1. A.Organization of African Unity (OAU)
2. B.Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
3. C.United Nations Organization (UNO)
4. D.Commonwealth of Nations
5. E.European Economic Community (EEC).

An international organization which has mainly economic matters as its objectives is the

1. A.Commonwealth of Nations
2. B.League of Nations
3. C.United Nations Organization
4. D.Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
5. E.Organization of African Unity.

Which of the following countries is a permanent member of the Security Council?

1. A.India
2. B.Canada
3. C.China
4. D.Korea
5. E.Italy.

Section A (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
Why is it necessary to uphold the principle of the Rule of Law in a state?

Section A (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
(a) What is a confederation?
(b) Highlight the problems that are likely to arise in a confederal state.

Section A (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
Why do some countries adopt written constitution?

Section A (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
(a) Define public opinion
(b) What are its characteristics?

Section A (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
Give reasons for the creation of local governments in Nigeria.

Section B (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
Why was the development of nationalist activities slow in the French West African colonies?

Section B (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
Outline the causes and implications of the 1953 Kano riot in Nigeria

Section B (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
What are the positive and negative consequences of the Nigerian civil war (1967 -1970)?

Section B (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
Highlight the achievements of the military governments in Nigeria

Section B (answer four questions in all, two from each section)
In what ways does Nigeria maintain friendly relations with other African states?