62 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.
A government is said to be legitimate if it
Answer: A (has the people's mandate to rule)
Legitimacy means the people accept the government's right to rule, usually because they gave it a mandate through elections.
All types of government perform all the following functions except
Answer: C (encouraging the struggle for power)
Governments keep order, provide welfare and promote trade; encouraging a struggle for power is not one of their functions.
In the study of government, public administration covers the
Answer: B (civil service, public corporations and the local governments)
Public administration is the machinery that carries out government policy: the civil service, public corporations and local government.
Sovereignty ultimately resides in
Answer: A (the people within a political society)
In a democracy final (popular) sovereignty belongs to the people, who give power to those who govern.
Classical democracy implies government
Answer: B (by all citizens)
Classical (Athenian) democracy was direct: all citizens met and made decisions themselves. Government through representatives is modern indirect democracy.
Which of the following is not a feature of a democratic system of government?
Answer: A (Limited franchise)
Democracy needs universal adult suffrage; a limited franchise shuts many citizens out of voting.
Which of the following political concepts is associated with land ownership?
Answer: B (Feudalism)
Feudalism was built on the holding of land by lords, worked by serfs in return for protection.
Fascism was a type of dictatorial government established in
Answer: D (Italy)
Fascism began in Italy under Benito Mussolini in 1922.
Who among the following is associated with the concept of the rule of law?
Answer: B (A. V. Dicey)
A. V. Dicey set out the classic principles of the rule of law in 1885. Bodin is linked with sovereignty and Montesquieu with separation of powers.
Which of the following is a means of limiting the rule of law?
Answer: C (Immunity granted to diplomats)
Diplomatic immunity means some people cannot be tried in local courts, so not everyone is equal before the law.
The lack of interest in politics by many citizens in a country is called
Answer: B (mass apathy)
Political apathy is indifference to or lack of interest in political activity.
The Industrial Revolution in Europe resulted in
Answer: D (capitalism.)
The Industrial Revolution created factory owners and a free-market economy, giving rise to industrial capitalism.
An agreed set of rules prescribing the governance of a country can be called the
Answer: A (constitution)
A constitution is the body of rules setting out how a country is governed.
A constitution is said to be rigid if it
Answer: B (is difficult to amend)
A rigid constitution needs a special, difficult procedure to amend, unlike a flexible one.
A unitary system of government is most suitable for a
Answer: C (small homogeneous country)
A unitary system suits a small country whose people share the same culture, so there is no strong need to share power.
The principle of collective responsibility is central to the
Answer: D (parliamentary system.)
In the parliamentary system the cabinet stands or falls together and ministers defend all its decisions.
In a parliamentary system of government, the head of government is usually
Answer: C (the Majority Leader in the Legislature)
The prime minister is the leader of the party with a majority in parliament.
The practice of two or more sovereign states uniting for security and external affairs is called
Answer: B (confederalism)
In a confederation sovereign states unite for limited common purposes such as defence while keeping their sovereignty.
A unicameral legislature has
Answer: B (one house)
Unicameral means a single chamber.
One of the functions of a Party Whip in the Legislature is to
Answer: B (ensure that members are present during important sessions)
The whip keeps party discipline, making sure members attend and vote the party way on important matters.
The judiciary is an organ of government which
Answer: D (settles disputes in accordance with the laws of the land.)
The judiciary interprets the law and settles disputes; the legislature makes laws and the executive rules.
To promote justice in a state, judges must
Answer: C (enjoy security of tenure of office)
Security of tenure means judges cannot be removed at will, so they can judge fearlessly.
People pay taxes in order to
Answer: A (generate revenue for government)
Taxes are the main source of revenue that government uses to provide services.
All the following are essential functions of political parties except to
Answer: D (seek political power for the military.)
Parties seek power through elections for their own members; seeking power for the military is not a party function.
A multi-party system often leads to
Answer: C (coalition government)
With many parties, no one party may win a majority, so parties join together in a coalition.
The right of the citizens to vote and be voted for in an election is called
Answer: D (franchise)
Franchise (suffrage) is the right to vote and to stand for election.
One major advantage of the secret ballot system of election is that, it
Answer: B (removes the fears of threat and victimization)
Because no one knows how a person voted, the voter cannot be threatened or punished for the choice.
An election held to determine an important constitutional issue is called a
Answer: D (referendum.)
A referendum lets the electorate vote directly on an important issue, often a constitutional change.
A free and fair election requires all the following except
Answer: C (gerrymandered constituencies)
Gerrymandering is dishonest drawing of constituency boundaries to favour one party, which makes an election unfair.
An electoral college is a
Answer: A (form of indirect election)
In an electoral college, voters choose electors who then choose the office-holder, so it is indirect election.
The main objective of a pressure group is to
Answer: D (influence government policies.)
Pressure groups do not seek to form a government; they try to influence its policies in their favour.
Public opinion can be expressed through
Answer: B (general strike)
A general strike is a way people show their views on government policy; a census only counts people.
A local government administration promotes
Answer: C (democracy at the grassroots)
Local government lets people at the grassroots take part in governing themselves.
All the following are features of the civil service except
Answer: D (political maturity and participation.)
Civil servants must be neutral and are not meant to take part in partisan politics.
Public corporations are set up by
Answer: D (an act of parliament.)
A public corporation is created by a statute (act of parliament or decree) that sets out its powers.
The first Colonial Consul sent to administer the West Coast of Africa by Britain, was
Answer: A (John Beecroft)
John Beecroft was appointed British Consul for the Bights of Benin and Biafra in 1849.
The executive head who was responsible for British colonial territories in West Africa was the
Answer: D (Secretary of State.)
The Secretary of State for the Colonies in London was the minister in charge of the colonies; governors answered to him.
The indirect rule policy did not succeed in some parts of West Africa because
Answer: C (the powers of traditional rulers were not centralised)
Indirect rule needed strong central chiefs; in places like Igboland, with no centralised rulers, it failed.
The policy of indigenat was practised in the colonies controlled by
Answer: D (France.)
The indigénat was the French code that let administrators punish African 'subjects' without trial.
The French policy of Assimilation implied that
Answer: D (Africans were modelled after the French.)
Assimilation aimed to turn Africans into Frenchmen in language, culture and outlook.
The West African Students Union (WASU) was formed in 1925 in
Answer: B (London)
WASU was founded in London in 1925 by Ladipo Solanke and other West African students.
One of the achievements of the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA) was the
Answer: D (introduction of the elective principle.)
NCBWA's demands led to the elective principle in the Clifford (1922) and later constitutions.
The main cause of military intervention in government in West Africa was
Answer: B (the breakdown of democratic institutions)
Soldiers usually justified coups by pointing to the failure of civilian institutions: rigged elections, corruption and disorder.
Military governments are likely to be
Answer: C (dictatorial)
Military regimes rule by decree, without elected bodies, so they tend to be dictatorial.
Which of the following West African countries operated a federal constitution at independence?
Answer: B (Nigeria)
Nigeria became independent in 1960 as a federation of three regions.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was formed to
Answer: D (promote economic relations in West Africa.)
ECOWAS was created in 1975 to promote economic co-operation and integration in West Africa.
Which of the following is associated with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)?
Answer: A (Peace-keeping)
ECOWAS sent the ECOMOG peace-keeping force to Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s.
One of the main objectives of the African Union (AU) is to
Answer: C (encourage co-operation among member states)
The AU (which replaced the OAU in 2002) aims to promote unity and co-operation among African states.
A person representing his country in a fellow Commonwealth country is called
Answer: C (a high commissioner)
Between Commonwealth countries the head of mission is called a High Commissioner instead of an ambassador.
The most important achievement of the United Nations Organization (UNO) is the
Answer: B (prevention of another world war)
The UN was set up in 1945 to prevent another world war, and none has happened since.
(a) Explain the term authority.
(b) What are the main sources of political authority?
(a) Authority is the legitimate (lawful and accepted) right to give orders and make decisions that others obey; it is power that the people regard as rightful.
(b) Any four: the constitution and law (legal-rational authority); tradition/custom (e.g. kings and chiefs); charisma (personal qualities of a leader); consent of the people through elections; religion/divine right; force or conquest that later becomes accepted (e.g. military rule); delegation from a higher authority.
Say clearly that authority is power that is accepted as legitimate.
(a) Explain the concept proletariat.
(b) Highlight four features of socialism.
(a) In Marxist theory the proletariat is the working class who own no means of production and live by selling their labour for wages to the bourgeoisie (capitalists).
(b) Any four: state/public ownership of the main means of production; central planning of the economy; production for need, not profit; fair (equitable) distribution of wealth; free or cheap social services (education, health); full employment; reduction of class differences; often a one-party state.
Mention the link between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie in Marxist class struggle.
(a) What is a representative government?
(b)(i) State two features of a representative government.
(ii) Outline three conditions necessary for a representative government.
(a) A government in which the people rule through representatives they freely elect at regular intervals, who make decisions on their behalf and are accountable to them.
(b)(i) Any two: periodic free elections; universal adult suffrage; representatives accountable to the electorate; more than one party/opposition; rule of law; elected legislature.
(ii) Any three: an independent electoral body; universal adult suffrage and a proper voters' register; free and fair elections (secret ballot); freedom of speech, press and association; existence of political parties; independent judiciary/rule of law; politically educated citizens.
Keep features (what it looks like) separate from conditions (what it needs).
(a) Describe separation of powers.
(b) How does separation of powers operate under the presidential system of government?
(a) Separation of powers is the principle (Montesquieu) that the three functions of government — making, executing and interpreting laws — should be carried out by separate organs (legislature, executive, judiciary) with separate personnel, so no single body becomes tyrannical.
(b) The legislature makes laws, the executive carries them out and the judiciary interprets them; the president and ministers are not members of the legislature (a legislator must resign to become a minister); the president is separately elected for a fixed term and cannot dissolve the legislature; judges are appointed with security of tenure and are independent; each organ checks the others (presidential veto, legislative override, approval of appointments and budget, impeachment, judicial review).
Use examples from the US or Nigerian presidential constitution.
(a) Explain the term bureaucracy.
(b) State five functions of a modern civil service.
(a) Bureaucracy is a system of administration by appointed, salaried officials organised in a hierarchy, working by fixed rules and procedures (Max Weber); in government it refers to the civil service.
(b) Any five: implements government policies and programmes; advises ministers on policy; drafts bills and prepares the budget; provides continuity when governments change; keeps government records; collects revenue; makes rules and regulations (delegated legislation); gives information to the public about policies; represents government at meetings and conferences.
Compare your answer with the model answer: it lists the points a full-mark answer needs.
What were the roles of the traditional rulers in Nigeria in the pre-colonial era?
Any five or six: chief executives of their kingdoms; made laws with their councils; settled disputes and judged cases; religious leaders/custodians of tradition and shrines; commanders in war and defenders of the territory; collected taxes and tributes; custodians of land; appointed chiefs and officials; kept law and order; represented their people in relations with other kingdoms.
Examples from the Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and others earn credit.
(a) Describe colonialism.
(b) Highlight five powers of the British Governor in any one West African colony.
(a) Colonialism is the political, economic and cultural domination of one territory and its people by a foreign power, which governs it and exploits its resources.
(b) Any five (e.g. Nigeria): chief executive and representative of the British Crown; presided over the Executive and Legislative Councils; assented to or vetoed bills; made laws by proclamation (e.g. for the North under the Clifford Constitution); appointed and dismissed officials and nominated members of the councils; commanded the armed forces and police; power of prerogative of mercy; reserved powers to act against the councils' advice; controlled finance and the budget.
Compare your answer with the model answer: it lists the points a full-mark answer needs.
(a) Outline three activities of the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA).
(b) State three effects of the activities highlighted in 8(a) above.
(a) Any three: held its first conference in Accra (1920) and passed resolutions; sent a delegation to London (1920) with a petition to the King; demanded elective representation in the legislative councils; demanded a West African university and court of appeal; demanded separation of judiciary from executive and opening of top civil service jobs to Africans; used newspapers to spread its ideas.
(b) Any three: elective principle introduced in the Clifford (1922), Sierra Leone (1924) and Guggisberg (1925) constitutions; formation of political parties such as the NNDP (1923); growth of nationalism and newspapers; unity among West African nationalists; more Africans in the civil service.
Effects must follow from the activities named in (a).
In what ways did the Nigeria National Democratic Party (NNDP) contribute to the political development of Nigeria?
Any five: first political party in Nigeria (1923, Herbert Macaulay); contested and won all the elective seats in Lagos in 1923, 1928 and 1933; fought for African participation in government; criticised colonial policies; educated people politically through its newspaper (Lagos Daily News); trained early nationalists; demanded self-government and better welfare; its decline led to the rise of the NYM and its leaders later helped form the NCNC.
Compare your answer with the model answer: it lists the points a full-mark answer needs.
(a) What is a coup d'etat?
(b) Give five reasons for military intervention in politics in West Africa.
(a) A coup d'état is the sudden, unconstitutional and often violent overthrow of a government by a group, usually the armed forces.
(b) Any five: corruption of civilian leaders; rigged elections and political violence; ethnic and regional tensions; economic mismanagement and hardship; breakdown of law and order; personal ambition of officers; foreign influence; imitation of coups elsewhere (contagion); poor conditions in the army; tribalism in promotions.
Compare your answer with the model answer: it lists the points a full-mark answer needs.
(a) With two examples, explain the meaning of federal character in Nigeria.
(b) State three factors responsible for the introduction of the concept of federal character in Nigeria.
(a) Federal character is the principle (1979 and 1999 Constitutions) that appointments and resources should reflect the country's diversity so no state or group dominates. Examples: at least one minister from each state; quota for admissions to federal unity colleges and universities; recruitment into the armed forces, police and federal civil service by state quota; the Federal Character Commission.
(b) Any three: fear of domination of minorities; ethnic rivalry and the civil war; need for national unity and sense of belonging; uneven educational development between regions; to ensure fair distribution of amenities and jobs; to promote loyalty to the nation.
Compare your answer with the model answer: it lists the points a full-mark answer needs.
Explain six aims and objectives of the Economic Community of West African States.
Any six, each explained: promote economic co-operation and integration; raise living standards of the people; remove customs duties and trade barriers among members; free movement of people, goods and services; common external tariff; co-operation in agriculture, industry, transport and communication, energy; harmonise economic and monetary policies (common currency); promote peace and security in the sub-region (later ECOMOG); develop the region's infrastructure; reduce dependence on outside powers.
Note: since the 2005 paper, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have left ECOWAS (January 2025); its aims are unchanged.