WAEC Government 1995 Past Questions

Practice each question, then open it to see the full details.

The primary function of government in a state is to

A.build schools and hospitals
B.provide transport service
C.engage in campaigns and rallies
D.maintain law and order
E.imprison criminals

Explain what is meant by Government as an academic field of study.

A country is most likely to have a good government only if it had

A.good constitution but bad operators
B.good operators but bad constitution
C.a good constitution and good operators
D.a legitimate government
E.a strong military support

(a) Explain the term representative government.

(b) What conditions are essential for the existence of a representative government?

Which of the following is a basic principle of democracy? Rule by

A.the majority and the right of the minority
B.the minority at the expense of the majority
C.the wealthy few
D.a monarch
E.two political parties

(a) What is political authority?

(b) Explain the various types of political authority.

Which of the following is legal source of political authority?

A.Power from the gun
B.Economic power
C.Minority power
D.Power from the electorate
E.Self-emposed power

State the functions and problems of public corporation.

which organ of government is vested with the responsibility of initiating bills and recommending them to the legislature for consideration? The

A.Federal House of Representatives
B.Executive
C.Congress
D.Senate
E.Judiciary

What are the functions of pressure groups?

Which of the following is the unique feature of Monarchy?

A.members of the executive are popularl electedy
B.Succession is hereditary
C.Separation of powers is absolute
D.its operation is based on collective responsibilty
E.The rulers had a fixed tenure of office

Explain the factors that necessitated the adoption of the Nigerian Federalism.

Which of the following is a unique feature of a feudalism ?

A.One-party rule
B.Multi-party system
C.Military rule
D.Lord-self relationship
E.Equality of all

Highlight the aims and objectives of the National Council for Nigeria and Cameroon (N.C.N.C)

Which of the following is a unique feature of a feudalism ?

A.One-party rule
B.Multi-party system
C.Military rule
D.Lord-self relationship
E.Equality of all

Outline five major features of Nigeria's foreign policy since independence.

The independence of the Judiciary can be enhance in all the following cases except where

A.judges are granted special immunity
B.judges are paid handsome remuneration
C.judges are politically neutral
D.the salaries of judges are drawn from a Consolidated Fund
E.the President is also the Chief judge

State the functions of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Organisation.

There is no separation of power in a Cabinet system because

A.members of the executive are also members of the Judiciary
B.the president is also members of the parliament
C.the prime minister and his cabinet ministers are also members of the of parliament
D.some eleted parliamentarians are also judges
E.ministers are also members of the judiciary

What were the major changes introduced in Nigeria by the Clifford Constitution of 1992 ?

In democracies, political participation could be restricted on the basis of

A.religion
B.class
C.race
D.sex
E.age

Disenfranchisement refers to the

A.qualification of voters in an election
B.disqualification of fraudulent persidential aspirants
C.denial of right to vote in an election
D.right to vote in all elections
E.right to vote and be voted for

The limitation on the right to life can be found

A.among the people
B.in the case of a convicted person
C.in the Executive
D.in the Government
E.in the Legislature

Which of the following is not an agent of political socialization?

A.Tourism
B.Mass media
C.Peer froup
D.University
E.Farmily

Political sovereignty belongs to

A.the people
B.students
C.soldiers
D.the parliament
E.the proletariat

An alien who has lived in Nigeria for twenty years may acquire citizenship by

A.nationlization
B.naturalization
C.registration
D.marriage
E.migration

In a republican parliamentary system of government, the ceremonial Head of State is the

A.Chief Justice
B.Prime Minister
C.President
D.Party Leader
E.Queen

Which of the following is not a feature of capitalism?

A.Free enterprise
B.Private ownership of capital
C.Minimal government intervention
D.Profit maximization
E.Dictatorship of the proletariat

A representative government can be established through

A.a general election
B.a military coup
C.an imposition
D.espionage
E.apartheid

A necessary companion of the Rule of Law is

A.a special military tribunai
B.the constant harassment of perssmen
C.the supermacy of the ordinary law
D.the trial of suspects in camera
E.a corrupt judicary

An appropriation bill is

A.state boundary adjustment bill
B.a state creation bill
C.private member's bill
D.a monetary bill
E.an impeachment bill

A coalition government can be described as one which

A.is made up of more than one political party
B.is formed by the political party that won the election
C.can effectively defend the nation
D.operates in a presidential system of government
E.can enforce the law enacted by the legislature

One of the modern principles of government found in the traditional political system of Yoruba is that of

A.the constitution
B.checks and balances
C.bicameralism
D.multi-partism
E.the rule of law

The function of the age-group in the Igbo pre-colonial society was to

A.enforce laws and punish erring members
B.make laws for the people when an Ofo died
C.give judgement on land tenure matters
D.make sure that the religion of the people was observed
E.install a new Ofo

An important feature of the traditional government in West Africa was the Council of

A.rmers
B.Family Heads
C.Elders
D.Ministers
E.Tax Collectors

A political party is mainly interested in

A.contesting elections to gain power
B.opposing the governmnet in power
C.educating the public
D.formulating governmnet policies
E.solicting for patronage

The most important merit of a multi-system is that it

A.guarantees the viability of many parties
B.disallows smaller political parties from gaining political power
C.reduces oppression within the various parties
D.gives representation to the widest shades of opinion and interest
E.is an option most popular in Africa

A pressure group can be defined as a

A.large group interested in seizing polical power
B.political party interested in governmnet
C.small group interested in sharing governmnetal power
D.sophisticated group interested in balkanization
E.group organized around an interest for governmnetal action

An election in which people vote for issues of public policy rather than candidates is known as a

A.mini election
B.general election
C.bye-election
D.party primary
E.referendum

Where no absolute majority is obtained in the first round of elections the most viable option is the

A.simple majority
B.proportional representation
C.second ballot
D.bye- election
E.second ballot withdrawal

The indirect Rule system succeeded in Hausa/Fulani society because the

A.society had only one religion
B.people recevied quranic education
C.people were peaceful
D.existing administration farvoured the system
E.people were descendants of Uthman Dan Fodio

The Chicks Commission in Nigeria was up to look into the issue of

A.revenue allocation
B.minority groups
C.state creation
D.constitutional amendment
E.police brutality

The first Head of State and Head of Government in Nigeria was

A.Lord Frederich Lugard
B.Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balawa
C.Major Kaduna Nzeogwu
D.Gen. J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi
E.Alhaji Shehu Shagari

Which of the following was the first political party in Nigeria? The

A.Action Group (AG)
B.Northern People's congress (NPC)
C.national Council for Nigeria and the Camerouns (NCNC)
D.Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP)
E.Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)

The main criticism against pre-independence political parties in Nigeria was that they

A.were not national in outlook
B.had no manifestos
C.did not contribute to political development
D.did not educate the electorate
E.did not establish constituency party offices

Which of the following is a feature of public corporation ? It

A.provides social services and amenities
B.has a Director -General as head of General Administration
C.is set up to make profit
D.has a minister as the administrative head
E.does not has a legal personlity

One of the problem facing local government in Nigeria is the

A.withdrawal of grants by the central governmnent
B.interference from the central government
C.inclusion of traditional rulers in the local government council
D.lack of personnel
E.lack of good programmes

Local government are essential because they

A.encouage division in the country
B.check abuse of office by governmnet functionaries
C.implement governmnet policies at all levels
D.make laws for the nation
E.train local people in the art of governance

The goal which a state aspires to achieve in its relation with other states may be referred to as

A.diplomatic interest
B.national policy
C.national interest
D.political independence
E.Economic independence

The goal which a state aspires to achieve in its relation with other states may be referred to as

A.diplomatic interest
B.national policy
C.national interest
D.political independence
E.Economic independence