Political authority is vested in the
Political authority resides in the state, which holds sovereignty and exercises power over its territory and citizens through its institutions.
An indispensable feature of any government is
Political power is essential for any government to enforce laws, make decisions, and maintain order, regardless of the system.
The concept of sovereignty refers to the
Sovereignty is the supreme, unrestrained power of a state over its citizens and territory, free from external control.
Case laws are established by the
The judiciary creates case laws through judicial precedents, which guide future legal decisions based on court rulings.
Which practice undermines the independence of the judiciary?
Merging the minister of justice and attorney general roles risks executive influence over judicial functions, compromising independence.
Bicameral legislatures are most common in
Bicameral legislatures, with two chambers, are typical in federal systems like Nigeria and the U.S., representing states and populations.
A major weakness of a confederation is
Confederations face secession risks due to the loose union and high autonomy of member states, as seen in historical confederacies.
A system emphasizing the coordinate status of component units is called
A confederal system prioritizes the autonomy of component units, with a weak central authority, unlike federal or unitary systems.
A flexible constitution is characterized by being
A flexible constitution, like the UK’s, is easy to amend through regular legislative processes, without special procedures.
The United States constitution, unlike the British, is
The U.S. Constitution is rigid (hard to amend), federal (power shared between federal and state governments), and written, unlike the UK’s unwritten and flexible constitution.
Oligarchy and democracy are defined by
Oligarchy (rule by a few) and democracy (rule by the people) are defined by the number of people participating in governance.
Governments prioritizing equitable wealth distribution are described as
Socialist governments focus on equitable wealth distribution, often through state control of resources, unlike capitalist or fascist systems.
The presidential system of government is characterized by
In a presidential system, executive power is concentrated in the president, who is both head of state and government, as in the U.S.
Checks and balances ensure that
Checks and balances allow each branch (executive, legislature, judiciary) to monitor and limit the others, preventing power abuse.
The principle of collective responsibility means that
Collective responsibility requires the cabinet to support government decisions collectively; failure leads to collective resignation in parliamentary systems.
The rule of law may be limited by
Emergency powers can suspend rights and grant the executive extraordinary authority, limiting the rule of law.
A parliamentary device to control prolonged debates is called
The guillotine is a procedure to limit debate time on a bill, ensuring timely voting and preventing delays.
In a parliamentary system, if a major government bill is defeated
Defeating a major bill signals a loss of confidence, leading to the cabinet’s resignation in a parliamentary system.
A bill becomes an Act of Parliament after it is
A bill becomes law after parliamentary passage and the head of state’s signature, formalizing it as an Act.
The primary duty of citizens to the state is
Citizens owe allegiance to the government, including obeying laws and supporting state authority.
Inalienable rights are those that
Inalienable rights, like life and liberty, can only be restricted through due legal process, protecting against arbitrary denial.
Elections allow the electorate to
Elections enable voters to select candidates to represent them in government.
The process of removing an elected official by voters after an election is called
A recall allows voters to remove an elected official before their term ends, typically via petition and vote.
Groups aiming to influence government policies without controlling personnel are
Pressure groups, like advocacy organizations, seek to influence policies without governing directly.
The governance style of the Sokoto Caliphate was
The Sokoto Caliphate was authoritarian, with power centralized in the Sultan and Emirs under Islamic law.
Which traditional political system was segmentary?
The Igbo system was segmentary, relying on village assemblies and kinship groups without centralized authority.
The British introduced indirect rule in Nigeria due to
Indirect rule was used due to insufficient colonial administrators, leveraging traditional rulers for governance.
Warrant chiefs were appointed in Eastern Nigeria to
Warrant chiefs were appointed to administer local governance under indirect rule, despite lacking traditional legitimacy.
The 1946 Richards Constitution was notable for
The 1946 Constitution ensured British control with an official majority in the legislative council.
The Willink Commission was established to
The 1957 Willink Commission investigated minority group welfare, addressing fears of marginalization before independence.
Which was NOT a feature of state legislatures in Nigeria’s Second Republic?
State legislatures had a speaker, deputy speaker, and clerk, but not a senate leader, which was a federal Senate role.
Which constitution recognized local government as a third tier?
The 1979 Constitution formalized local government as the third tier in Nigeria’s federal structure.
Judicial independence is supported by judges being appointed by the
The Judicial Service Commission appoints judges, ensuring impartiality and reducing executive influence.
The federal system in Nigeria was abolished for a unitary system by
Aguiyi-Ironsi introduced a unitary system in 1966 via Decree 34, abolishing federalism, which sparked opposition.
A 1988 reform to increase local government autonomy in Nigeria was
Abolishing state ministries of local government in 1988 reduced state oversight, enhancing local autonomy.
Traditional rulers were limited to ceremonial roles by the Local Government Reforms of
The 1976 Reforms restricted traditional rulers to ceremonial roles, transferring administrative powers to elected councils.
Which is NOT associated with local government elections?
Constituencies are used in national or state elections, while local government elections use wards as electoral units.
The 1994 Public Service Review Commission aimed to make the public service
The 1994 Udoji Commission sought to enhance public service efficiency and results through reforms.
Under military regimes, the fused branches of government are
Military regimes fuse the legislature and executive, with the military issuing decrees and executing policies.
Nigeria is NOT a member of the
Nigeria is not a member of the OECD, which includes developed economies, but is part of OPEC, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the IMF.
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