60 questions. Try each one, then open the answer to check yourself and read the explanation.
Government as an academic field of study refers to the
Answer: B (study of political institutions and processes)
As a subject, Government is the study of the state, its institutions and political processes.
A state performs the following functions except
Answer: B (encouraging the struggle for power)
A state promotes welfare, services and trade; encouraging a struggle for power is not its function.
Power can be defined as the ability to
Answer: A (compel or influence obedience)
Power is the ability to make others act as one wishes, by force or by influence.
Which of the following groups has a compulsory membership?
Answer: B (state)
Everyone living in a state is bound by its laws whether they like it or not; membership of other groups is voluntary.
A government which has the ability to compel its citizens to obedience is said to be exercising
Answer: C (power)
Power is the ability to compel obedience. Authority is the right to rule, and legitimacy is people's acceptance of that right.
A government's supreme power to demand obedience from its citizens demonstrates the notion of
Answer: C (sovereignty)
Sovereignty is the supreme power of the state to make laws and enforce obedience.
Nazism is a political ideology which emphasized
Answer: A (supremacy of a race)
Hitler's Nazism taught that the German 'Aryan' race was superior to all others.
In a unitary state, sovereignty resides in the
Answer: C (central government)
In a unitary state all sovereign power is held by the central government.
Which of the following facilitates the working of a democratic government?
Answer: D (Political parties.)
Political parties offer choices to voters and organise government and opposition, which democracy needs.
Which of the following negates the principle of the rule of law?
Answer: C (Immunity of some citizens)
Immunity from prosecution means some people are not equal before the law.
The principle of rule of law can be defined as
Answer: C (supremacy of the law over all the people in a state)
The rule of law means the law is supreme and everyone, rulers included, is subject to it.
Which of the following is not a delegated legislation?
Answer: D (Public opinion.)
Statutory instruments, bye-laws and orders-in-council are laws made under delegated power; public opinion is not a law.
Abuse of power by extra-legislative bodies set up by the legislature is checked through
Answer: C (parliamentary control)
Parliament checks the bodies it delegates power to, e.g. by laying their rules before it and by committees.
The primary purpose of political participation is to seek
Answer: A (or hold political office)
People take part in politics mainly to win or hold political office and influence decisions.
A constitution whose provisions are printed and contained in one document is a
Answer: B (written constitution)
A written constitution is collected in a single document.
A provision of a constitution is said to be entrenched when
Answer: D (a referendum is required for its amendment.)
An entrenched provision can only be changed by a special procedure, such as a referendum or large majorities.
A constitutional amendment that is cumbersome is usually described as
Answer: B (rigid)
A constitution that is difficult to amend is rigid.
The head of govenment in a parliamentary system is the
Answer: C (Prime Minister)
The Prime Minister heads the government in a parliamentary system; the head of state is ceremonial.
An advantage of a federal system of government is that it
Answer: D (encourages unity in diversity.)
Federalism lets different groups keep their identity while living together in one country.
The executive and ceremonial powers are exercised by the head of state in a
Answer: C (presidential system)
In the presidential system one person, the President, is both ceremonial head of state and chief executive.
Residual powers in a federation are exercised by the
Answer: C (state governments)
In a classical federation, matters not listed in the constitution are left to the states. (In Nigeria residual matters likewise belong to the states.)
When two or more parties join to form a government, we have a
Answer: D (coalition government.)
A coalition government is formed when parties join together to govern.
The leader of the opposition in a parliament belongs to the
Answer: C (minority party in parliament)
The leader of the opposition leads the largest party not in government, a minority party in parliament.
Which of the following protects the liberties of individuals in the state?
Answer: C (Judiciary)
The courts protect citizens' liberties by enforcing their rights, even against government.
The main obligation of a citizen is
Answer: B (allegiance to the state)
Loyalty (allegiance) to the state is the basic duty of every citizen.
A group that presents candidates for elections is a
Answer: A (political party)
Only political parties sponsor candidates for elections.
Which of the following is a type of political party?
Answer: B (Mass party)
Mass parties (open to everyone) are a recognised type, along with elite (cadre) and charismatic parties.
Which of the following is not a function of political parties?
Answer: D (Bringing the country's economic and social conditions under control.)
Controlling economic and social conditions is the work of government, not of parties as such.
A state with more than one dominant political party of nearly equal strength is operating
Answer: B (a multi-party system)
Several strong parties competing for power is a multi-party system.
One-party system is a feature of
Answer: D (communist states.)
Communist states such as the former USSR and China allow only the Communist Party.
A person who exercises franchise performs
Answer: C (a civic duty)
Voting is a civic duty (and right) of a citizen.
Which of the following does not relate to elections?
Answer: D (Impeachment of the president.)
Impeachment is how the legislature removes a president; it is not part of the electoral process.
An organized group which influences government decisions is a
Answer: D (pressure group.)
Pressure groups seek to influence government decisions without trying to form a government.
Anonymity in the civil service means that an officer
Answer: C (does not take praise or blame for his performance)
The minister takes public credit or blame for a ministry's work, not the civil servant.
The main purpose of setting up public corporations is to
Answer: D (provide essential services to the people at minimal cost.)
Public corporations provide essential services such as power and water at affordable prices.
The British Minister responsible for the administration of British territories in the Crown Colony system was the
Answer: B (Secretary of State for the Colonies)
The Secretary of State for the Colonies was the cabinet minister in London in charge of the colonies.
The policy of Association was introduced in the French Colonies by
Answer: B (Charles De Gaulle)
Of the options, only Charles de Gaulle shaped French colonial policy (Brazzaville Conference 1944, French Community 1958); the others were post-colonial presidents.
The headquarters of the French Colonial government in West Africa was
Answer: A (Dakar)
Dakar in Senegal was the capital of French West Africa (AOF).
Which of the following was a nationalist organization?
Answer: B (National Congress of British West Africa)
The NCBWA (1920) was a nationalist body demanding reforms in British West Africa.
The highest court of appeal under the Independence Constitutions of the West African states was the
Answer: C (Judicial Committee of Privy Council)
At independence, final appeals went to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. (Nigeria ended these appeals in 1963.)
The official members in the Legislative Councils of the British Colonial government were
Answer: B (all White)
Official members were colonial officials who held their seats because of their posts, and they were all British (white).
The pre-independence political parties in British West Africa were largely concerned about
Answer: D (political emancipation of Africans.)
Their main aim was freedom from colonial rule (independence).
Military governments rule by
Answer: C (decrees)
Military regimes make laws by decree (and edicts at state level).
Which of the following is an advantage a country derives from international relations?
Answer: A (Peaceful settlement of conflict with other nations)
Good international relations allow disputes to be settled peacefully through diplomacy.
Which of the following countries is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)?
Answer: D (Burkina Faso.)
In 2008 Burkina Faso was an ECOWAS member; the others are not in West Africa. Note: Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger left ECOWAS in January 2025.
Which of the following countries was a member of the Monrovia group?
Answer: D (Sierra Leone.)
Sierra Leone belonged to the Monrovia group with Nigeria and Liberia; Chad, Niger and Cameroon were in the Brazzaville group.
Which of the organs of the United Nations Organization (UNO) is responsible for appointing staff of the organization?
Answer: C (The Secretariat)
The Secretariat, headed by the Secretary-General, appoints and manages UN staff.
The organ of the UNO responsible for the affairs of the mandated territories was the
Answer: B (Trusteeship Council)
The Trusteeship Council supervised former mandated (trust) territories until the last one became independent in 1994.
(a) Define Communism.
(b) Outline four features of Communism.
(a) Communism is the political and economic system (Marx and Engels) in which the means of production, distribution and exchange are owned in common, society is classless, and goods are shared 'from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs'; Marx saw it as the final stage after socialism.
(b) Any four: common/state ownership of means of production; classless society; centrally planned economy; one-party rule (the Communist Party); no exploitation of labour, production for need not profit; the state eventually 'withers away'; equal distribution of wealth; restriction of opposition and individual liberties in practice.
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(a) Describe the principle of the Rule of Law.
(b) How can it be ensured in a state?
(a) The rule of law (A.V. Dicey) means the law is supreme over everyone, rulers included; it rests on three principles: supremacy of the law (no arbitrary power, no punishment except for a breach of law proved in court), equality before the law, and protection of individual rights by the courts.
(b) Any five: independent and impartial judiciary; entrenchment of fundamental rights in the constitution; separation of powers with checks and balances; free press; democratic government with free elections; educated citizens who know their rights; free legal aid; no retroactive laws; open and speedy trials, no detention without trial; ombudsman/human rights bodies; leaders who obey court orders.
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Highlight any six ways by which the rights of a citizen can be protected
Any six: entrenchment of rights in the constitution; rule of law; independent judiciary; free press; separation of powers and checks and balances; active opposition parties; pressure groups and human rights organisations; human rights commission/ombudsman (Public Complaints Commission); legal aid; citizen awareness programmes; respect for international human-rights conventions; well-trained law-enforcement agencies.
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(a) Define Public Opinion.
(b) Explain three factors that can promote public opinion in a state.
(a) Public opinion is the collective view held by a large part (usually the majority) of the people on an issue of public importance at a given time.
(b) Any three, each explained: freedom of the press and mass media; freedom of speech, assembly and association; literacy and political education; activities of political parties and pressure groups; opinion polls; democratic government that listens to the people; public lectures, rallies and town-hall meetings; social media and information agencies.
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State six importance of local governments in a state.
Any six: brings government nearer to the people; provides local services (markets, roads, water, primary health care, sanitation); political education and training ground for leaders; encourages grassroots participation; reduces the workload of central/state governments; mobilises local resources for development; serves as link between people and higher governments; promotes rural development; preserves local culture and traditions; creates jobs.
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Outline any six roles played by traditional rulers during the British colonial rule in Nigeria.
Any six: served as Native Authorities under indirect rule; collected taxes; maintained law and order; presided over native courts and settled disputes; served as link between the British and the people; recruited labour for public works and soldiers for the wars; preserved culture and customs; sat in the Northern House of Chiefs and other legislative bodies; helped implement colonial policies (e.g. sanitation, road building); managed native treasuries.
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(a) Describe the Crown Colony system.
(b) Give four reasons why the Crown Colony system was unpopular among the educated elite.
(a) The Crown Colony system was the British method of ruling colonies (e.g. Lagos, Freetown) directly through a Governor appointed by the Crown, advised by an Executive Council of officials and a Legislative Council dominated by official and nominated members; the Governor answered to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
(b) Any four: the educated elite were excluded or had very few seats; the Governor had wide veto and reserved powers, making the councils rubber stamps; official majority meant Africans could not influence laws; no elected members at first / limited franchise; discrimination against Africans in senior posts; taxes and laws imposed without consent; it gave chiefs more say than the elite in the protectorates.
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(a) What is Nationalist Movement?
(b) Highlight five effects of nationalist activities in British West Africa.
(a) A nationalist movement is an organised struggle by a people (led by the educated elite, parties and other groups) against foreign rule, to win political independence and self-determination.
(b) Any five: introduction of the elective principle and later universal adult suffrage; constitutional reforms leading to self-government; Africanisation of the civil service; formation of political parties; growth of newspapers and political awareness; independence (Ghana 1957, Nigeria 1960, Sierra Leone 1961, The Gambia 1965); unity among West Africans and Pan-Africanism; improved welfare and education.
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(a) Outline three merits of the Lyttleton Constitution.
(b) Highlight three demerits of the Constitution.
(a) Any three: made Nigeria a true federation (1954) with powers divided into exclusive and concurrent lists, residual to regions; regions got more autonomy and their own premiers; Lagos became federal territory; regionalised the civil service, judiciary and marketing boards; direct elections to the House of Representatives; Southern Cameroons got its own legislature; Speaker replaced the Governor as head of the legislature in some houses.
(b) Any three: encouraged regionalism and ethnic politics; Governor-General kept wide reserved powers; no Prime Minister at the centre (no single head of government); strengthened regions at the expense of the centre, sowing seeds of secession; minority problems not addressed; regionalised police and civil service caused duplication and cost.
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Give six reasons for the reluctance of military regimes to hand over power to civilian administrations.
Any six: personal ambition and love of power; fear of probe/prosecution for corruption and abuses after leaving office; access to wealth; claim that the problems they came to solve are not finished; distrust of politicians; desire to 'transmute' into civilian presidents (self-succession); divisions within the military; support from some civilians and foreign interests; fear of a return to the instability that led to the coup.
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Highlight three merits and three demerits of Africa as the centrepiece of Nigeria Foreign Policy.
Merits (any three): helped end colonialism and apartheid (support for liberation movements in Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa); gave Nigeria leadership and prestige in Africa; promoted peace through ECOMOG and AU missions; promoted economic co-operation via ECOWAS; aid to African states (Technical Aid Corps).
Demerits (any three): huge cost in money and lives with little return; neglect of Nigeria's own domestic needs; ingratitude of some beneficiary states, and xenophobic attacks on Nigerians; neglect of relations with developed countries; distrust by neighbours who fear Nigeria's domination.
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Outline four political factors that contribute to the weakness of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
Any four: the non-interference clause stopped it acting on internal conflicts and abuses; frequent coups and political instability in members; ideological divisions (radical vs conservative blocs, East–West influence); loyalty of members to former colonial powers (Anglophone/Francophone split); lack of a standing army to enforce decisions; leadership rivalry; border disputes between members; members' unwillingness to give up sovereignty; disagreements over recognition (e.g. Biafra, Western Sahara).
The OAU was replaced by the African Union in 2002, partly to cure these weaknesses.