Under the Independence Constitution
A student might mistakenly choose options A, C, or D by confusing later constitutional adjustments with the specific provisions of the initial legal framework. The 1960 Independence Constitution of Nigeria established a bicameral legislature comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate to ensure balanced representation and legislative oversight. Common mistake: Misattributing single-chamber traditions or later senate sizing rules to the independence framework.
Which of the following nations does not have veto power in the Security Council of the UNO?
Options A, B, and C might tempt students who forget which European or Asian nations hold permanent status on the council. Germany is not a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council; instead, the five permanent members possessing veto power are Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States. Common mistake: Assuming major economic powers like Germany automatically hold permanent Security Council veto seats.
Public corporations are established mainly to
Options A, B, and C might be chosen by a student who overlooks the operational economic goals of state-run enterprises. Public corporations are created to deliver essential services like electricity or transportation on a commercial basis, aiming to meet public needs while maintaining financial viability. Common mistake: Assuming state enterprises exist solely for advisory roles or internal board member benefits rather than commercial service delivery.
The first military coup d’etat in Nigeria occurred on
Options A, B, and D could confuse students who mix up national independence milestones or subsequent post-independence calendar years. The first military coup in Nigeria took place on January 15, 1966, led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, which overthrew the First Republic government and led to significant political changes. Common mistake: Confusing the October 1st independence anniversary dates with the subsequent military takeover date.
Nigeria adopted a republican constitution on
Options A, C, or D might trick test-takers who conflate the initial year of independence with subsequent governmental transformations. Nigeria became a republic on October 1, 1963, adopting a republican constitution that replaced the British monarch with a Nigerian president as the Head of State. Common mistake: Believing the country became a republic the exact year it gained independence.
The following six political parties were registered for the 1983 elections
A student might incorrectly select options featuring entirely different coalitions or incorrect abbreviations not present on the historical record. The correct groups were officially sanctioned for the 1983 Nigerian polls, comprising the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), National Advanced Party (NAP), Nigeria People’s Party (NPP), People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Great Nigeria People’s Party (GNPP), and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). Common mistake: confusing the registered parties of the 1983 elections with those of previous political eras.
In Nigeria, the office of Prime Minister was first created in
An examinee might mistakenly choose 1954 by confusing the Lyttleton Constitution with an earlier constitutional milestone. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa assumed the newly established post of Nigeria’s first Prime Minister under the Lyttleton Constitution in 1957. Common mistake: mixing up the year the Lyttleton Constitution created the premiership with other constitutional dates in Nigerian history.
The non-permanent members of the Security Council of the United Nations Organisations (UNO) are elected for
A test-taker might incorrectly pick a 3 or 4 year term by confusing UN bodies with standard presidential terms. Non-permanent members of the U.N. Security Council hold 2-year terms, with five of the ten seats elected annually to ensure rotation and representation. Common mistake: failing to remember the specific 2-year rotational duration for non-permanent Security Council seats.
The Economic Commission for Africa is an organ of
A student might mistakenly select ECOWAS or the O.A.U. due to their regional African focus. The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) operates as a United Nations body established to foster economic and social development across African countries, frequently collaborating with entities like the Organization of African Unity (now African Union). Common mistake: assuming a regional African agency must belong exclusively to an African continental bloc rather than the United Nations.
Aristocracy is the system of government in which the few rule for
An examinee might choose 'the benefit of a few' by misinterpreting the narrow definition of oligarchy or elite rule. Aristocracy refers to a system where a small, privileged elite governs, typically prioritizing their own interests and benefits over those of the broader population. Common mistake: selecting options that mirror the size of the ruling class rather than their self-serving objective.
The two primary elements in politics are
A student might mistakenly guess 'war and peace' because politics often involves international hostilities and treaties. Politics revolves around order (establishing governance and stability) and conflict (competing interests and ideologies), which drive political processes and decision-making. Common mistake: overlooking internal governance and competing interests in favor of international relations.
A nation state is synonymous with a
An examinee might select 'nation' by focusing solely on the cultural or ethnic components of a population. A nation-state is a sovereign state where the population shares a common identity, culture, or history, making 'sovereign state' the most accurate synonym. Common mistake: equating a cultural nation with an independent political entity.
Legislative supremacy exists in
A student might incorrectly select Nigeria by confusing its federal judiciary with parliamentary systems. Legislative supremacy is a hallmark of Britain’s parliamentary system, where Parliament holds supreme legal authority due to the unwritten constitution and lack of judicial review over primary legislation. Common mistake: confusing countries with written constitutions and judicial review with those possessing unwritten constitutions and parliamentary supremacy.
Presidentialism is a system of government in which
An examinee might mistakenly choose options describing a system where the head of state and chief executive are split. Presidentialism features an elected head of state (the president) who serves as both head of state and chief executive, wielding significant executive powers, as seen in Nigeria since 1979. Common mistake: blending parliamentary executive roles into a presidential framework.
The main function of the upper chamber in a parliamentary system of government is to
A student might incorrectly pick initiating new legislation, which is usually the primary domain of the lower chamber. The upper chamber, such as the House of Lords in Britain or the Senate in Nigeria, primarily reviews and amends legislation from the lower chamber, acting as a check to ensure legislative quality and balance. Common mistake: assuming both chambers share identical originating responsibilities.
The federal constitution which concedes to the component units the right to secede is that of
An examinee might choose the United States, mistakenly assuming federal powers allow state secession. The Soviet Union’s constitution theoretically allowed its constituent republics the right to secede, which facilitated the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, unlike the constitutions of the U.S., Australia, or Brazil. Common mistake: assuming all federations permit unilateral withdrawal by component units.
The principle of two levels of government in a country is called
A student might mistakenly select the parliamentary system by confusing executive-legislative arrangements with territorial divisions. Federalism is the principle of governance where power is divided between a central (federal) government and regional (state) governments, as practiced in Nigeria. Common mistake: mixing up horizontal separation of powers with vertical governmental tiers.
In a cabinet system, the executive is appointed from the
An examinee might choose the opposition or weaker parties by misunderstanding coalition mechanics. In a cabinet system, the executive, including the prime minister and cabinet ministers, is drawn from the legislature, typically from the majority party or coalition, ensuring legislative-executive alignment. Common mistake: assuming cabinet members are appointed from outside elected legislative bodies.
An important advantage of creating more constituent units in a federal state is to
A student might incorrectly select enabling ambitious politicians to gain power, viewing expansion through a cynical political lens. Creating more constituent units in a federal state increases local representation and governance, enhancing citizen participation in the democratic process. Common mistake: prioritizing personal political ambition over civic participation and grassroots representation.
Under the presidential system
An examinee might mistakenly select majority-seat executive formation, which applies to parliamentary models. In a presidential system, the president is elected independently of the legislature and may come from any political party, not necessarily the one with the majority in the legislature. Common mistake: applying parliamentary rules of executive formation to presidential setups.
The major function of the legislative assembly is to
A student might mistakenly choose voting on bills or committee reports, viewing these as the ultimate goal rather than the mechanism. The primary function of a legislative assembly is to make laws, which regulate the state and its citizens, encompassing debates, representation, and voting as part of the process. Common mistake: confusing individual procedural steps with the overarching institutional purpose.
In a parliamentary system who ensures that members are in the House to vote on major issues?
An examinee might choose the speaker of the house by confusing administrative moderation with party discipline. The Whip in a parliamentary system is responsible for party discipline, ensuring members attend and vote on major issues according to the party’s position. Common mistake: mixing up the neutral presiding duties of the speaker with the partisan enforcement duties of the whip.
A system in which no single person serves as the chief executive is known as
A student might mistakenly select parliamentary or republican systems, both of which can feature single chief executives like prime ministers or presidents. A collegial system, as seen in Switzerland, involves a collective executive body (e.g., a council) rather than a single chief executive, distributing leadership responsibilities. Common mistake: failing to distinguish collective council leadership from individual executive offices.
The idea of democracy was first associated with the
An examinee might choose the Romans due to their extensive legal and republican contributions. The concept of democracy originated in ancient Greece, particularly in Athens around the 5th century BCE, where citizens participated directly in governance. Common mistake: attributing early republican legal structures directly to democratic popular rule.
According to Marxist theory, those who live by selling their labour are referred to as the
A student might mistakenly pick the bourgeoisie by confusing the social classes in Marxist doctrine. In Marxist theory, the proletariat are the working class who earn a living by selling their labor to the bourgeoisie, the capitalist class that owns the means of production. Common mistake: mixing up the labor-selling working class with the capital-owning ruling class.
A social system in which power is derived from control over land is called
An examinee might select oligarchy by focusing on rule by a few without identifying the economic foundation. Feudalism is a social and political system where power is derived from land ownership, with lords granting land to vassals in exchange for loyalty and services. Common mistake: confusing general elite rule with land-based economic structures.
A system of government in which power derives from total control of the instruments of force is called
A student might mistakenly choose oligarchy or monarchy based on the narrowness of leadership. Fascism is an authoritarian system where power is maintained through total control of coercive instruments, such as the military and police, suppressing dissent and opposition. Common mistake: overlooking the reliance on total force and coercion in defining fascist rule.
Which of the following ideologies emphasizes the abolition of government and law?
An examinee might choose communism by confusing it with the ultimate stateless phase envisioned by some theories. Anarchism advocates for a stateless society, abolishing government and laws in favor of voluntary cooperation and mutual aid among individuals. Common mistake: confusing the transitional state controls of communism with the immediate abolition of laws in anarchism.
The writ of habeas corpus is applied to secure the
A student might mistakenly select the freedom of the press or judicial independence due to broader civil liberties associations. The writ of habeas corpus protects the right to personal liberty by allowing individuals to challenge unlawful detention, ensuring they are brought before a court. Common mistake: misassociating procedural legal writs with general expressive freedoms.
Which of the following is NOT a fundamental human right in Nigeria?
An examinee might choose the right to personal liberty or freedom of thought, which are explicitly guaranteed. Under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, fundamental human rights include the right to personal liberty, freedom of thought, and freedom of conscience (Chapter IV). The right to education, while a policy goal, is not enshrined as a fundamental right. Common mistake: confusing socio-economic policy objectives with legally enforceable fundamental human rights.
Proportional representation is recommended because it
Students might mistakenly choose options like B or D because they focus on general electoral mechanics, but proportional representation is specifically noted for helping smaller groups. By distributing legislative seats based on the exact percentage of votes received, the system ensures that smaller parties gain fair representation matching their total electoral support. Common mistake: Confusing broad electoral system goals with the specific mechanism that benefits minor political parties.
A system of voting in which the voters are asked a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question on a major issue is called
A student might lean towards option A ('first past the post') because it is a very common type of voting system taught in civics, yet it determines winners by plurality rather than simple binary questions. A referendum specifically functions as a direct vote where citizens provide a simple 'yes' or 'no' response regarding major policy decisions or constitutional changes. Common mistake: Mistaking standard candidate-election systems for direct citizen ballot measures.
A political manifesto is a document which outlines
Test-takers could easily select option C because a manifesto deals with governance, yet national policy belongs to the broader ruling administration rather than a single group's specific proposals. A political manifesto serves as a public declaration detailing a party's planned programme, outlining its core objectives, policies, and actionable plans if it wins power. Common mistake: Confusing official state policy documents with a political party's campaign promises.
One argument against a multi-party system is the
An unwary student might mistakenly choose option A due to the negative tone of the question, assuming all negative criticisms point toward national failure. Critics argue against a multi-party structure precisely because it encourages diverse opinions and political opposition, which can result in instability, fragmentation, or a lack of consensus. Common mistake: Assuming all listed drawbacks of a political structure point directly to economic or developmental stagnation.
Pre-colonial Igbo society was
Option A might look attractive because students often associate historical African societies with centralized kingdoms, missing the unique structural differences. Pre-colonial Igbo society was acephalous, meaning it operated without a centralized governing authority, relying instead on age grades, village councils, and elders. Common mistake: Assuming all major historical ethnic groups shared the same centralized monarchical structure.
Which of the following ethnic groups had centralised administration in pre-colonial Nigeria?
Students might mistakenly pick the Tiv or Ijaw if they confuse northern societies with other regional groups that had distinct political organizations. The Hausa possessed a centralized administration structured into various emirates under the Sokoto Caliphate, featuring clear leadership hierarchies led by emirs. Common mistake: Failing to distinguish between centralized northern emirates and decentralized southern or middle-belt groups.
In which of the following ethnic groups was precolonial political structure NOT influenced by the Islamic culture?
Options like the Kanuri or Nupe might confuse students who assume all northern groups underwent identical Islamic transformations. The Tiv relied primarily on clan-based and lineage systems, meaning their pre-colonial political framework remained largely uninfluenced by Islamic culture, unlike groups integrated into Muslim states such as the Kanuri, Nupe, and Fulani. Common mistake: Assuming every ethnic group situated in the northern region shared identical religious and political histories.
The British Government revoked the charter of the Royal Niger Company and took over the direct administration of Nigeria in
Option A (1861) is a frequent distractor because it marks the annexation of Lagos, leading students to conflate it with the later takeover of the whole territory. In 1900, the British government officially revoked the Royal Niger Company's charter and took over direct colonial administration of Nigeria to properly consolidate control and establish formal governance. Common mistake: Confusing the annexation of Lagos with the broader revocation of the Royal Niger Company charter.
The Minorities Commission appointed in 1957 was headed by
Students might mistakenly choose Sir Allan Lennox-Boyd (option D) because he was a prominent colonial secretary involved in constitutional conferences of that era. The Minorities Commission of 1957, formed to address fears of ethnic domination in an independent Nigeria, was specifically chaired by Sir Henry Willink. Common mistake: Mixing up the colonial secretaries and constitutional conference architects with the specific commission chairmen.
The Zikist Movement was popular for its
Option A might be selected by students confusing nationalist groups with pacifist movements or Gandhi-inspired philosophies. The Zikist Movement, drawing inspiration from Nnamdi Azikiwe, gained fame for its militant nationalism, aggressively pushing for immediate Nigerian independence through confrontational and radical methods. Common mistake: Attributing peaceful or moderate political strategies to radical anti-colonial youth movements.
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