2015 Government WAEC SSCE (School Candidates) May/June

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Government 1 - Objective

Which of the following best defines government as an institution of a state?
1. An institution established for class struggle
2. Machinery established for exercising political power
3. A process of organizing societal values
4. The art through which political parties are managed
Which of the following is a reason for studying government?
1. Knowledge of the rights of the individual
2. Acquisition of skills to work in a state-owned industry
3. Helps the individual to form a pressure group
4. Enables citizens to vote during elections
The most visible feature of a state is
1. compulsory membership
2. defined geographical territory
3. written constitution
4. sovereign power
Representative democracy is characterized by
1. free election and proper register of voters
2. a politically educated elite
3. representation of the poor only
4. rule of the interest groups
The set of attitudes and beliefs that determine the behaviour of citizens in a political system is called
1. socialization
2. political culture
3. representative government
4. devolution
Fundamental Human Rights are entrenched in constitutions purposely to
1. ensure freedom of speech
2. guarantee the liberty of citizens
3. promote good governance
4. promote trade
Diplomatic and parliamentary immunities put limitations on
1. the rule of law
2. separation of powers
3. checks and balances
4. foreign policies
Montesquieu's political theory of separation of powers was meant to
1. promote unity in government
2. prevent dictatorial rule
3. ensure social justice
4. enhance state security
Which of the following countries practices a centralized system of government?
1. Nigeria
2. Ghana
3. USA
4. India
Which of the following countries operates an unwritten constitution?
1. Britain
2. USA
3. Japan
4. Canada
A constitution that can be amended through ordinary law making process is said to be
1. written
2. unwritten
3. rigid
4. flexible
Which of the following systems of government operates on the principle of checks and balances?
1. Theocracy
2. Presidential
3. Parliamentary
4. Monarchical
Confederal system of government means
1. powerful centre and weak component units
2. weak centre and powerful component units
3. powerful centre and powerful component units
4. weak component units and weak centre
In a federal system of government, the power shared between the central and state governments is known as
1. legislative power
2. exclusive power
3. concurrent power
4. judicial power
The prerogative power resides with the
1. ombudsman
2. executive
3. national assembly
4. civil organization
Quick decision making is an advantage of
1. unicameralism
2. constitutionalism
3. federalism
4. republicanism
The organ of government responsible for implementation of policies in a state is the
1. legislature
2. judiciary
3. executive
4. public bureau
A citizen is an individual who
1. has the legal and political rights in a country
2. has lived in a country for sometime
3. enjoys only economic rights
4. enjoys immunity in the country
Which of the following is a condition for granting citizenship to a foreigner?
1. Swearing an oath of allegiance
2. Possession of a university degree
3. A registered member of a political party
4. Possession of an international passport
Citizenship can be acquired through all of the following methods except
1. birth
2. nationalization
3. naturalization
4. marriage
The conferment of citizenship on a distinguished personality of another country is called
1. citizenship by birth
2. honorary citizenship
3. adoption
4. citizenship by registration
The primary aim of any political party is to
1. pressurize the government
2. remain in the opposition
3. control the government
4. ensure fair play in business
A manifesto can be defined as the
1. opportunity to form a political party
2. proposed programmes of a political party
3. policy of a political party in power
4. power to rule the masses
Which of the following exists in a one-party state?
1. Only the workers' party is allowed to exist
2. Only the students' party is allowed to exist
3. Elections to the legislature are held at the party's conference
4. The ruling party is the only legal party
Which of the following party systems best represents all shades of opinions?
1. Multi-party
2. Two-party
3. One-party
4. Elite-party
The practice of multi-party system in West Africa tends to promote
1. sectionalism and factionalism
2. national integration
3. social discrimination
4. economic integration
Franchise is the right to
1. express political views
2. control the government
3. vote and be voted for
4. ensure good governance
The following are the aims of an election except that
1. a group sticks on to power
2. there is accountability of the leaders
3. there is a smooth change of government
4. the people determine who rules
Politics is practically demonstrated during
1. electioneering campaigns
2. parliamentary debates
3. formation of political parties
4. inter-party consultative meetings
An election held to fill a vacant post in the legislature due to the death or resignation of a member is called
1. run-off election
2. electoral college
3. bye-election
4. primary elections
Which of the following is a function of pressure groups?
1. Represent and protect the rich
2. Protect the interest of government
3. Serve as avenue for political victimization
4. Provide forum for the ventilation of grievances
Public opinion is defined as the
1. aggregate views of the people
2. sentiments of opposition parties
3. consensus of the mass media
4. reaction of pressure groups
Public opinion on the performance of a government is best measured by
1. military strength
2. general elections
3. the mass media
4. parliamentary debates
The method in which a group of people are interviewed on a specific political issue is called
1. referendum
2. individual speech
3. individual writing
4. opinion sampling
The Civil Service is an administrative institution of
1. the executive arm of government
2. public corporations
3. Para-military organization
4. a business enterprise
Which of the following is a feature of the civil service?
1. Disloyalty
2. Impartiality
3. Political activism
4. Temporary tenure
The major source of local government revenue is
1. donations
2. income from investments
3. loans from finance institutions
4. grants from the central authority
In the pre-colonial African political system, the functions of the kingmakers were performed by
1. Age grades
2. Women
3. Council of Elders
4. Special people
Colonialism is defined as the
1. struggle against foreign domination
2. political struggle for independence
3. economic dependence on developed nations
4. imposition of foreign rule on a territory
Casting vote was one of the ways the Governor in British West Africa controlled the
1. Colonial treasurer
2. Colonial secretary
3. Native authority
4. Legislative council
The French policy of assimilation was based on the assumption that African culture was
1. expensive
2. inferior
3. unpopular
4. superior
The administrative structure adopted in the French colonial territories was
1. more of a centralized administration
2. focused mainly on traditional rulers
3. favourable to the African age grades
4. for the development of African culture
The Pan-African Movements emerged as a result of
1. African cultural heritage
2. European racial domination
3. the formation of the African Union
4. the growth of socialism in Europe
Which of the following was the first print media used by nationalists to oppose colonialism in the British West Africa?
1. Daily News
2. Daily Times
3. West African pilot
4. Guardian newspaper
One of the prominent West African nationalist leaders was
1. Kwame Nkrumah
2. Jomo Kenyatta
3. S. L. Akintola
4. Sekou Toure
Which of the following cannot be altered by a military coup d’etat?
1. constitution
2. legal system
3. legislature
4. state
Laws promulgated by a military government are called
1. bills
2. acts
3. decrees
4. proclamations
The origin of the Commonwealth of Nations can be traced to
1. colonial ties
2. world economic order
3. equality of states
4. sovereignty of states
The first Black African to hold the position of UN Secretary-General was
1. Salim Ahmed Salim
2. Kofi Annan
3. Emeka Anyaoku
4. Nelson Mandela
The Secretary-General of the United Nations Organization (UNO) is appointed for a period of
1. three years
2. five years
3. seven years
4. nine years

Government 2 - Essay

Section A: Elements of Government

Answer two question only from this section.

1. Explain constitutionalism.
2. State four factors that can promote constitutionalism.
1. What is separation of powers?
2. How does it operate under the:
3. Presidential System of government?
4. Cabinet System of government?
1. Define parliamentarianism.
2. Identify four differences between parliamentary and presidential systems of government.
1. Define public opinion.
2. Highlight three ways by which public opinion can be formed.
3. In what three ways can public opinion be encouraged in your country?
1. Identify five officials used in the conduct of election on the polling day.
2. State one function of each of the officials identified in 5(a)

Section B: Political and Constitutional Development In West Africa and International Relations

Answer two questions only from this section.

1. Highlight any five functions of the Secretary of State for the colonies in the colonial period.
1. List any three newspapers founded by nationalists in Nigeria after the Second World War.
2. Highlight any four roles played by Local Newspapers in the struggle against colonial rule.
1. State five achievements of the Action Group as a political party in Nigeria.
2. Explain the term military.
3. What is a military coup d'etat?
4. Outline three basic features of military rule.
1. State the factors that determine the external relations of West African countries