JAMB Government 1986

27 reviewed questions with answers and explanations.

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Question 1

Aristocracy is the system of government in which the few rule for

  1. their own benefit
  2. the benefit of all
  3. the benefit of their friends
  4. the benefit of a few
Answer and explanation

B: the benefit of all

In the classical classification, aristocracy is rule by a few for the common good. Rule by a few mainly for their own benefit is classified as oligarchy.

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Question 4

Legislative supremacy exists in

  1. Britain
  2. France
  3. Soviet Union
  4. Nigeria
Answer and explanation

A: Britain

Britain follows the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, under which Parliament is the supreme legal lawmaking authority. This is the traditional example of legislative supremacy.

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Question 5

Presidentialism is a system of government in which

  1. there is elected Head of State who exercises actual executive powers
  2. the Head of State is not the chief executive
  3. the executive functions are the responsibility of the entire members of a cabinet
  4. all members of cabinet must also be members of the legislature
Answer and explanation

A: there is elected Head of State who exercises actual executive powers

In presidential government, an elected president is both head of state and chief executive. This differs from a parliamentary model with a separate head of government.

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Question 6

The main function of the upper chamber in a parliamentary system of government is to

  1. Initiate new legislation
  2. execute laws
  3. act as a check on the lower chamber
  4. direct the activities of the lower chamber
Answer and explanation

C: act as a check on the lower chamber

An upper chamber commonly reviews legislation from the lower chamber and provides an additional check. It does not carry out executive administration or simply command the lower house.

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Question 7

Which of the following countries constitutionally recognized the right of its component republics to secede?

  1. the United States
  2. Australia
  3. Brazil
  4. the Soviet Union
Answer and explanation

D: the Soviet Union

The Soviet Constitution recognized a right of Union republics to secede from the USSR. This historical constitutional provision distinguished it from the other federations listed.

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Question 8

The principle of two levels of government in a country is called

  1. the parliamentary system
  2. dictatorship
  3. nationalism
  4. federalism
Answer and explanation

D: federalism

Federalism divides governing authority between a national government and constituent units such as states. Each level exercises constitutionally allocated powers, rather than functioning only as an administrative branch of the other.

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Question 9

An important advantage of creating more constituent units in a federal state is to

  1. enhance the people's participation in government
  2. enable ambitious politicians gain political power
  3. make the state gain more power
  4. curb the powers of the federal government
Answer and explanation

A: enhance the people's participation in government

Additional constituent units can bring decision-making closer to communities and widen opportunities for participation. Giving individual politicians office is not the public-interest justification for creating units.

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Question 10

Under the presidential system

  1. the party with the majority of seats forms the Executive
  2. there is the principle of collective responsibility
  3. the president may come from any of the parties
  4. the constitution must be unwritten
Answer and explanation

C: the president may come from any of the parties

The presidency is filled through a separate electoral process and need not belong to the party holding a legislative majority. A parliamentary majority therefore does not automatically determine the president.

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Question 11

The major function of the legislative assembly is to

  1. debate on committee reports
  2. represent the people
  3. make laws
  4. vote on bills
Answer and explanation

C: make laws

A legislative assembly makes laws through procedures such as debate, amendment and voting. Those procedures serve its broader law-making function.

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Question 12

In a parliamentary system, who ensures that members are in the House to vote on major issues? The

  1. party leader
  2. speaker of the House
  3. clerk of the House
  4. Whip
Answer and explanation

D: Whip

Party whips organize attendance and voting by party members in parliament. They communicate the importance of divisions and the party position.

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Question 14

The idea of democracy was first associated with the

  1. Romans
  2. Persians
  3. Greeks
  4. Egyptians
Answer and explanation

C: Greeks

Ancient Greece, especially Athens, is associated with the early development of democracy. Eligible citizens participated directly, though many residents were excluded.

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Question 15

According to Marxist theory, those who live by selling their labour are referred to as the

  1. bourgeoisie
  2. proletariats
  3. Feudal lords
  4. Slaves
Answer and explanation

B: proletariats

In Marxist theory the proletariat are workers who sell their labour power for wages. The bourgeoisie instead own productive capital.

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Question 18

The political ideology which advocates the abolition of government and law is

  1. totalitarianism
  2. communism
  3. anarchism
  4. socialism
Answer and explanation

C: anarchism

Anarchism rejects coercive state authority and advocates social organization without a state. Communism and socialism concern economic and social organization and do not by themselves mean abolishing every government.

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Question 19

The writ of habeas corpus is applied to secure the

  1. right to personal liberty
  2. independence of the judiciary
  3. freedom of the press
  4. right to own private property
Answer and explanation

A: right to personal liberty

Habeas corpus allows a court to examine the lawfulness of detention and order release when detention is unlawful. It therefore protects personal liberty against arbitrary imprisonment.

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Question 21

Proportional representation is recommended because it

  1. favours small parties
  2. is simple to operate
  3. lead's to liberal democracy
  4. preserves the party system
Answer and explanation

A: favours small parties

Proportional representation improves smaller parties’ chances of winning seats corresponding to their vote share. It reduces the winner-takes-all disadvantage they can face in plurality elections.

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Question 27

Which of the following ethnic groups had centralized administration in pre-colonial Nigeria?

  1. lbibio
  2. Ijaw
  3. Tiv
  4. Hausa
Answer and explanation

D: Hausa

Hausa emirates had centralized political institutions headed by emirs and supported by appointed officials. The answer refers to those historical emirate structures.

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Question 29

The Minorities Commission appointed in 1957 was headed by

  1. Sir Henry Willink
  2. Justice Udo Udoma
  3. Chief Festus Okotie Eboh
  4. Sir Alan Lennox-Boyd
Answer and explanation

A: Sir Henry Willink

Sir Henry Willink chaired the commission established to examine minority fears in Nigeria. Its report considered safeguards for groups concerned about domination within the regions.

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Question 33

Judges in Nigeria enjoy security of tenure

  1. if they are appointed by the president
  2. if they have the support of the Nigerian Bar Association
  3. if they are of good behaviour
  4. during the life of the government which appoints them
Answer and explanation

C: if they are of good behaviour

Security of judicial tenure protects judges from arbitrary removal while they perform their duties properly. Misconduct and other legally specified grounds still require the prescribed removal process.

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Question 34

Before the 1963 Constitution, the highest court of appeal for Nigeria was the

  1. Supreme Court
  2. Federal Court of Appeal
  3. Privy Council
  4. Federal High Court
Answer and explanation

C: Privy Council

Before the republican constitution, final appeals could go to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The 1963 changes made the Nigerian Supreme Court the final appellate court.

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Question 35

Which of the following is NOT a function of the Police Force in Nigeria?

  1. Traffic control
  2. Arrest of criminals
  3. Making of laws
  4. Prosecution of criminals
Answer and explanation

C: Making of laws

The police enforce laws rather than enact legislation. Investigation, traffic control and legally authorized prosecution are distinct from the legislature's law-making function.

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Question 37

Who was appointed by the federal government of Nigeria as the administrator of Western Region in 1962?

  1. Dr M. A. Majekodunmi
  2. Chief Odeleye Fadahunsi
  3. Chief S. L. Akintola
  4. Chief Remi Fani-Kayode
Answer and explanation

A: Dr M. A. Majekodunmi

Dr Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi was appointed administrator of the Western Region during the 1962 emergency. His temporary administrative role differed from the offices held by the other named politicians.

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Question 39

The head of state in the first republic of Nigeria was

  1. an executive president
  2. a nominee of the whole country
  3. a nominal president
  4. a party leader
Answer and explanation

C: a nominal president

The First Republic's president was a largely ceremonial head of state. Executive government was led by the prime minister, unlike the executive presidency introduced in 1979.

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Question 41

The main objective of the Public Service Review Commission headed by Chief Jerome Udoji was to make the Nigerian public service

  1. less corrupt
  2. more attractive financially
  3. more efficient and result oriented
  4. superior to the private sector
Answer and explanation

C: more efficient and result oriented

The Udoji Public Service Review Commission sought a more efficient, results-oriented public service. Pay recommendations were part of a broader effort to improve administration and performance.

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Question 44

Traditional rulers under the 1976 local Government Reforms had

  1. executive powers
  2. Chief-in-council status
  3. limited powers
  4. legislative powers
Answer and explanation

C: limited powers

The 1976 local government reforms limited traditional rulers' formal governmental role and emphasized advisory functions. They did not make traditional rulers the elected councils' executive or legislative authorities.

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Question 45

In 1986, Nigeria was not a member of

  1. the Commonwealth
  2. OPEC
  3. ECOWAS
  4. NATO
Answer and explanation

D: NATO

Nigeria belonged to the Commonwealth, OPEC and ECOWAS in 1986, but not NATO. NATO is a distinct defence alliance whose membership did not include Nigeria.

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Question 47

The administrative headquarters of the OAU was in

  1. Addis Ababa
  2. Lagos
  3. Accra
  4. Nairobi
Answer and explanation

A: Addis Ababa

The OAU’s administrative headquarters was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Union later retained Addis Ababa as its headquarters.

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Question 48

The organ of the United Nations primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security is the

  1. General Assembly
  2. Security Council
  3. International Court of Justice
  4. Economic and Social Council
Answer and explanation

B: Security Council

The UN Charter gives the Security Council primary responsibility for international peace and security. The General Assembly also discusses these matters but has a different institutional role.

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