JAMB Government 2006
Questions & Answers

One might mistakenly select option A or B by confusing the executive branch with the legislature or the judiciary, which make and interpret laws respectively, while option D belongs to electoral bodies. The executive arm, led by the President or Governor, is specifically responsible for implementing policies and enforcing laws per the 1999 Constitution. Common mistake: attributing law-making powers to the executive branch.

A student might mistakenly choose options B, C, or D by picking later legal frameworks or colonial instruments that did not govern the specific post-independence First Republic era. The 1960 Independence Constitution, which was later amended in 1963, successfully governed Nigeria during the First Republic from 1960 to 1966, making option A correct. Common mistake: confusing the 1960 independence framework with the later 1979 or 1999 democratic constitutions.

A student might select option A, C, or D by assuming government policies primarily target macroeconomic growth or military and judicial structures rather than ethnic administration. The federal character principle ensures equitable ethnic representation across public offices and institutions, making option B the correct choice. Common mistake: assuming federal character is an economic policy rather than a socio-political representation mechanism.

A student might pick option A because INEC is the prominent national electoral body, while options C and D deal with judicial councils or federal executive bodies. Local government elections in Nigeria are specifically conducted by State Independent Electoral Commissions, pointing to option B. Common mistake: assuming the Independent National Electoral Commission conducts all levels of elections in the country.

Options B, C, and D are incorrect because they refer to military strategies, judicial rulings, or specific economic directives rather than broad belief systems. A political ideology is fundamentally a set of beliefs guiding action and political behavior, making option A correct. Common mistake: confusing an overarching political belief system with a single temporary economic policy.

Students might mistakenly choose options B, C, or D by attributing fiscal stabilization policies to different military regimes or later civilian administrations. Shehu Shagari is the leader who introduced austerity measures in 1982 to address growing economic challenges, making option A correct. Common mistake: attributing early 1980s civilian economic reforms to military heads of state.

A student might mistakenly select option A, C, or D by confusing impeachment with regular elections, judicial appointments, or unconstitutional military takeovers. Impeachment specifically refers to the constitutional process of removing a public official, such as a President, for gross misconduct as outlined in the 1999 Constitution, which makes option B correct. Common mistake: confusing impeachment with a democratic election process.

Options A, C, and D are incorrect because the African Union, ECOWAS, and OPEC were either founded later or joined at different dates. Nigeria joined the United Nations in 1960 immediately following its independence, confirming option B. Common mistake: confusing the UN membership date with regional organization milestones.

A student might mistakenly choose option B, C, or D by confusing a geographical voting zone with a political party, government agency, or traditional council. A constituency is defined as a specific group of voters in an area who are represented by an elected official, making option A correct. Common mistake: defining a constituency as a political organization instead of a geographical voting jurisdiction.

Students might pick options A, B, or D because they were prominent national or regional parties, but they dominated the Northern or Eastern regions instead. The Action Group, led by Obafemi Awolowo, was the dominant political party in the Western Region during the First Republic, making option C correct. Common mistake: mixing up the regional strongholds of major First Republic political parties.

Options A, C, and D are incorrect because conducting elections, military intervention, and judicial review do not describe the advocacy work of interest groups. Lobbying involves attempting to influence legislation and government policies in favor of specific interests, making option B correct. Common mistake: confusing lobbying with corrupt practices or direct legislative law-making.

A student might select option A, B, or D by confusing the local government count with legislative seat numbers like the 360 House of Representatives members or 109 senators. The 1999 Constitution explicitly recognizes 774 local government areas, making option C correct. Common mistake: mixing up the number of local governments with national legislative assembly figures.

A student might mistakenly choose options A, B, or D by attributing federal character to the independence or later democratic documents. The 1979 Constitution formalized the principle of federal character to guarantee ethnic equity and balance in public service appointments, making option C correct. Common mistake: assuming federal character was introduced at independence in 1960.

Options A, C, and D are incorrect because legislative laws, executive orders, and military decrees originate from different branches of government and follow distinct rule-making procedures. Judicial precedent refers to past court decisions that guide future similar cases under the doctrine of stare decisis, making option B correct. Common mistake: confusing judicial case law with statutes enacted by the legislature.

A student might select options B, C, or D because they are well-known federal agencies, but the EFCC handles economic crimes, the NPC handles population census data, and the FIRS collects taxes. The National Orientation Agency is specifically tasked with promoting national unity, values, and awareness, making option A correct. Common mistake: confusing anti-corruption or revenue agencies with national unity bodies.

Options A, C, and D are incorrect because government by the majority is a democracy, by traditional rulers is a traditional authority system, and by elected officials is representative democracy. An oligarchy is defined as a form of government where power is concentrated in the hands of a small elite, making option B correct. Common mistake: confusing oligarchy with democracy or traditional monarchies.

A student might choose options B, C, or D by selecting leaders from the mid-to-late 1970s or 1980s civilian era rather than the beginning of the oil boom decade. Yakubu Gowon led Nigeria during the early 1970s oil boom until his removal in 1975, making option A correct. Common mistake: attributing the entire 1970s oil boom era administration solely to later military heads of state.

Options B, C, and D are incorrect because judicial rulings, executive orders, and military directives are final legal actions or administrative orders rather than legislative proposals. A bill is a proposed law that must be debated and passed by the legislature before it can be assented to, making option A correct. Common mistake: confusing an enacted law or executive order with a draft bill.

A student might mistakenly choose options B, C, or D by attributing environmental regulation bodies to Abacha, Obasanjo, or Buhari's later democratic administration. Ibrahim Babangida established the Federal Environmental Protection Agency in 1988 to manage ecological and environmental issues, making option A correct. Common mistake: confusing the military administration that created FEPA with later civilian environmental ministries.

Students might mistakenly look at Government officials, Military personnel, or Traditional leaders because these terms represent recognizable categories of people holding authority within a state. However, when we evaluate who actually constitutes this group, we find that the correct choice must focus on those who are legally qualified to participate in choosing leaders. Citizens eligible to vote form this specific demographic. Common mistake: Confusing the electorate with the actual officeholders or ruling elites.