🏛️ Government — Political Concepts and Nigerian Institutions

1. In Political Science, the general capacity or ability to influence or control the behaviour of others, with or without their consent, is best described as...

1. Legitimacy
2. Power
3. Authority
4. Sovereignty

Power is the raw ability to influence or compel behaviour, whether or not it is accepted as rightful; authority, by contrast, is power that is recognised as legitimate. (UTME Government syllabus — Basic Concepts (standard Political Science definition))

2. Which of the following best distinguishes authority from mere power?

1. Authority is power that is recognised as legitimate and rightfully exercised
2. Authority is always backed by military force while power is not
3. Authority can only be exercised by traditional rulers
4. Authority does not require obedience from citizens

Authority is legitimate power — it is accepted as rightful by those over whom it is exercised — unlike raw power, which may rest on coercion alone. (UTME Government syllabus — Basic Concepts (standard Political Science definition))

3. The supreme and final authority of a state to exercise power over its people and territory, free from external control, is known as...

1. Legitimacy
2. Federalism
3. Sovereignty
4. Autonomy

Sovereignty refers to the supreme, independent authority of a state to govern itself without external interference. (UTME Government syllabus — Basic Concepts (standard Political Science definition))

4. When citizens generally accept a government's right to rule and willingly obey its laws, that government is said to enjoy...

1. Sovereignty
2. Federalism
3. Absolutism
4. Legitimacy

Legitimacy is the popular acceptance of a government's authority as rightful, which encourages voluntary obedience rather than mere coercion. (UTME Government syllabus — Basic Concepts (standard Political Science definition))

5. The doctrine of separation of powers, which holds that the legislative, executive and judicial functions of government should be exercised by separate organs, was systematically propounded by...

1. A. V. Dicey
2. Baron de Montesquieu
3. John Locke
4. Thomas Hobbes

Montesquieu propounded the modern doctrine of separation of powers in his 1748 work, laying the theoretical foundation used in many constitutions today. (Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (De l'Esprit des Lois), 1748)

6. In which book did Baron de Montesquieu set out the doctrine of separation of powers in 1748?

1. The Spirit of the Laws
2. The Social Contract
3. Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution
4. Leviathan

Montesquieu's "The Spirit of the Laws" (De l'Esprit des Lois), published in 1748, systematically developed the doctrine of separation of powers. (Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (De l'Esprit des Lois), 1748)

7. According to A. V. Dicey, one of the three essential elements of the rule of law is...

1. Concentration of all powers in a single sovereign
2. Absolute immunity of government officials from prosecution
3. Equality of all persons before the law
4. Supremacy of religious law over civil law

Dicey identified equality before the law, alongside supremacy of the law and protection of individual rights by the courts, as core elements of the rule of law. (A. V. Dicey, Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution, 1885)

8. A newly elected president whose right to rule derives from having been chosen through a free election conducted under established constitutional rules exercises authority based on which type of legitimacy, according to Max Weber's classification?

1. Traditional legitimacy
2. Charismatic legitimacy
3. Coercive legitimacy
4. Legal-rational legitimacy

Max Weber classified authority derived from established laws and constitutional procedures, such as free elections, as legal-rational legitimacy, distinct from traditional or charismatic authority. (Max Weber's typology of authority (Economy and Society, 1922); UTME Government syllabus — Basic Concepts)

9. Under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the legislative powers of the Federation are vested in the National Assembly by...

1. Section 6
2. Section 4
3. Section 5
4. Section 9

Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution vests the legislative powers of the Federation in the National Assembly, reflecting the doctrine of separation of powers alongside Sections 5 (executive) and 6 (judicial). (Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Section 4)

10. Which Nigerian constitution first introduced the elective principle, allowing some members of the Legislative Council to be elected rather than nominated?

1. Clifford Constitution of 1922
2. Richards Constitution of 1946
3. Lyttleton Constitution of 1954
4. Macpherson Constitution of 1951

The Clifford Constitution of 1922 introduced the elective principle, providing four elective seats — three for Lagos and one for Calabar. (Clifford Constitution, 1922 (Nigeria Legislative Council Order in Council, 1922))

11. The Richards Constitution of 1946 is chiefly remembered for introducing which feature into Nigerian government?

1. Federalism, by creating a fully federal system
2. Universal adult suffrage
3. Regionalism, by dividing Nigeria into three regions
4. A republican form of government

The Richards Constitution of 1946 divided Nigeria into three regions — Northern, Western and Eastern — each with its own Regional House of Assembly, laying the foundation for regionalism. (Richards Constitution, 1946 (Nigeria (Legislative Council) Order in Council, 1946))

12. Which constitution is regarded as the first to formally establish a truly federal system of government in Nigeria?

1. Richards Constitution of 1946
2. Lyttleton Constitution of 1954
3. Clifford Constitution of 1922
4. Independence Constitution of 1960

The Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 formally established federalism, making it Nigeria's first truly federal constitution. (Lyttleton Constitution, 1954 (Nigeria (Constitution) Order in Council, 1954))

13. On what date did Nigeria attain political independence from Britain?

1. 1 October 1963
2. 29 May 1999
3. 1 October 1979
4. 1 October 1960

Nigeria became an independent nation on 1 October 1960, and later became a republic on the same date in 1963. (Constitution of the Federation of Nigeria, 1963 (Republican Constitution))

14. Who became Nigeria's first President when the country became a republic on 1 October 1963?

1. Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe
2. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
3. Alhaji Shehu Shagari
4. Chief Obafemi Awolowo

Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe became Nigeria's first (ceremonial) President under the 1963 Republican Constitution, while Tafawa Balewa remained Prime Minister. (Constitution of the Federation of Nigeria, 1963 (Republican Constitution))

15. The 1979 Constitution marked a major shift in Nigeria's system of government by replacing the Westminster parliamentary system with...

1. A one-party socialist system
2. A military-dominated system
3. An American-style executive presidential system
4. A confederal system of loosely allied regions

The 1979 Constitution introduced an American-style executive presidential system, ushering in Nigeria's Second Republic. (Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979)

16. The current Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria came into force on which date?

1. 1 October 1999
2. 29 May 1999
3. 29 May 1979
4. 12 June 1999

The 1999 Constitution was promulgated by Decree No. 24 of 1999 and came into force on 29 May 1999. (Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Promulgation) Decree No. 24 of 1999)

17. How many members make up the Senate of Nigeria's National Assembly?

1. 360
2. 469
3. 74
4. 109

The Senate has 109 members, comprising three senators from each of the 36 states plus one from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. (Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Section 48)

18. To effect an ordinary alteration of the 1999 Constitution, a proposal must be supported by a two-thirds majority of each House of the National Assembly and thereafter approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of at least how many states?

1. Twenty-four of the thirty-six states
2. Eighteen of the thirty-six states
3. All thirty-six states
4. Twelve of the thirty-six states

Section 9 requires two-thirds of each House of the National Assembly and approval by not less than two-thirds of all State Houses of Assembly, that is, at least 24 of the 36 states. (Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Section 9)

19. Under the 1999 Constitution, the process for removing a President for gross misconduct begins with a notice of allegation signed by at least what proportion of members of the National Assembly?

1. A simple majority
2. Two-thirds of all members
3. One-third of the members
4. Three-quarters of all members

Section 143 requires the notice of allegation to be signed by not less than one-third of National Assembly members, while removal itself requires adoption of the panel's report by a two-thirds majority of all members of each House. (Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, Section 143)

20. Since independence, the central focus ("centrepiece") of Nigeria's foreign policy has been...

1. Europe
2. Africa
3. The Middle East
4. South America

Nigeria has consistently declared Africa as the centrepiece of its foreign policy, prioritising African unity, decolonisation and continental development. (Nigeria's foreign policy doctrine; UTME Government syllabus — Nigeria's Foreign Policy)

21. Nigeria was admitted as a member of the United Nations in the same year it gained independence, that is...

1. 1963
2. 1975
3. 1999
4. 1960

Nigeria joined the United Nations in 1960, the year it attained independence from Britain. (United Nations membership records; UTME Government syllabus — International Organisations)

22. Nigeria was a founding member of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was established in Addis Ababa in...

1. 1963
2. 1960
3. 1975
4. 1990

The Organisation of African Unity, forerunner of today's African Union, was founded in Addis Ababa in 1963, with Nigeria among its founding members. (OAU Charter, 1963; UTME Government syllabus — International Organisations)

23. The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was transformed into the African Union (AU), which formally came into being in...

1. 1963
2. 1975
3. 2002
4. 1990

Following the adoption of the Constitutive Act in 2000, the African Union formally replaced the OAU and was officially launched in 2002. (Constitutive Act of the African Union, 2000 (AU formally launched 2002))

24. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established by the Treaty of Lagos in...

1. 1963
2. 1975
3. 1960
4. 1999

ECOWAS was established by the Treaty of Lagos, signed by Nigeria and other West African states in 1975. (Treaty of Lagos, 1975 (ECOWAS founding treaty))

25. The headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is located in...

1. Accra, Ghana
2. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
3. Dakar, Senegal
4. Abuja, Nigeria

ECOWAS has its Commission headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, reflecting Nigeria's leading role in founding and sustaining the organisation. (ECOWAS Commission records; UTME Government syllabus — International Organisations)

26. The headquarters of the African Union (AU) is situated in...

1. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2. Abuja, Nigeria
3. Cairo, Egypt
4. Nairobi, Kenya

The African Union's headquarters is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the same city that hosted the OAU before it. (African Union Constitutive Act; AU Commission records)

27. Nigeria's leading role in providing troops and funding for the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) intervention from 1990 was primarily aimed at restoring peace in...

1. Rwanda
2. Sudan
3. Liberia
4. Democratic Republic of Congo

Nigeria spearheaded ECOMOG, ECOWAS's peacekeeping force, which intervened in the Liberian civil war from 1990, reflecting Nigeria's commitment to regional peace and security. (ECOWAS Ceasefire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) records; UTME Government syllabus — Nigeria's Foreign Policy)

28. During the Cold War era, Nigeria's official foreign policy stance towards the rival Western and Eastern (Soviet) blocs was one of...

1. Full alliance with the Western bloc
2. Non-alignment
3. Full alliance with the Eastern bloc
4. Total isolationism from world affairs

Nigeria adopted a policy of non-alignment during the Cold War, refusing to align exclusively with either bloc while pursuing an Africa-centred foreign policy. (Nigeria's foreign policy doctrine; UTME Government syllabus — Nigeria's Foreign Policy)

29. Which form of government is one in which political power is held for life by a single ruler and is usually passed down through inheritance within a royal family?

1. Republic
2. Monarchy
3. Oligarchy
4. Theocracy

In a monarchy, headship of state is hereditary and held for life, unlike in a republic where the head of state is elected for a fixed term. (Standard classification of forms of government (UTME Government syllabus))

30. A federal system of government is best described as one in which...

1. all governmental powers are concentrated in a single central authority
2. power is constitutionally divided between a central government and component (state) governments, each supreme within its own sphere
3. sovereign member states retain the right to secede at will
4. power is exercised by a small privileged class without elections

Federalism involves a constitutional division of powers between the central government and constituent units, each supreme in its assigned sphere, as under Nigeria's 1999 Constitution. (Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (federal structure); standard definition of federalism)

31. Unlike a federal system, a unitary system of government is one in which...

1. two or more levels of government have constitutionally guaranteed, coordinate powers
2. all powers of government are concentrated in a single central authority, which may delegate powers to local units as it pleases
3. component states can voluntarily secede from the union
4. the judiciary is empowered to review the acts of both federal and regional legislatures

In a unitary system, sovereignty resides wholly in the central government, which creates and can alter or abolish local authorities, unlike a federal system. (Standard comparative definition of unitary and federal systems)

32. A confederation is best distinguished from a federation by the fact that in a confederation...

1. the central authority is stronger than the member states and states cannot withdraw
2. member states retain a high degree of sovereignty, and the central authority is weak, with member states free to withdraw
3. there is only one government for the whole union
4. the head of state must be an unelected monarch

A confederation is a loose union of sovereign states that retain the right to withdraw, unlike a federation where the centre and states form a single indissoluble union. (Standard comparative definition of confederation and federation)

33. Under the presidential system of government practised in Nigeria since 1979 and continued under the 1999 Constitution, which of the following is true?

1. The President is elected separately from the legislature and is not answerable to it for continuance in office
2. The head of government is chosen from among members of the legislature and can be removed by a simple vote of no confidence
3. Executive and legislative functions are fused in one body of persons
4. The Prime Minister presides over the National Assembly

In the presidential system, the President is elected independently of the legislature for a fixed term and cannot ordinarily be removed by a mere vote of no confidence. (Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (executive presidential system); Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979)

34. At independence in 1960, Nigeria operated a parliamentary system of government modelled on Britain, under which...

1. the Prime Minister and Cabinet were drawn from and remained collectively responsible to the legislature
2. the President was directly elected by universal adult suffrage
3. there was a strict separation of personnel between the executive and the legislature
4. the Head of State combined both ceremonial and executive functions in one elected office

The Westminster parliamentary model used at independence fused executive leadership with legislative membership, with the Prime Minister's government accountable to Parliament. (Nigeria Independence Constitution, 1960 (parliamentary/Westminster system))

35. The doctrine of separation of powers, which holds that the legislative, executive and judicial functions of government should be exercised by distinct organs, was systematically propounded by...

1. John Locke
2. Baron de Montesquieu
3. A. V. Dicey
4. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Montesquieu systematically expounded the doctrine of separation of powers in his 1748 work 'The Spirit of the Laws' (De l'Esprit des Lois). (Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (De l'Esprit des Lois), 1748)