JAMB UTME - Government - 2001

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A parliamentary system of government adheres to majority rule, where the political party or coalition with the most elected representatives forms the government. The executive branch is formed by members of the legislature and is accountable to the legislature. This means there is no clear separation of government organs, as the executive and legislative branches are intertwined. The bicameral legislature may or may not operate strictly depending on the country, but it is not a defining feature of a parliamentary system. Finally, removal of the government is typically done through a vote of no confidence rather than impeachment.

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A constitution serves as a set of rules or principles that guide the operation of a government. It outlines the powers and limitations of various branches of government and establishes the rights and freedoms of citizens. One of the most important functions of a constitution is that it serves as the ultimate source of authority for the exercise of power. It ensures that the government operates within certain limits and that citizens are protected from abuses of power. Additionally, a constitution can promote citizen participation in government and encourage the cross-fertilization of ideas about governance. Overall, a constitution provides a framework for the study of government and establishes the fundamental principles upon which a society is built.

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Before Nigeria became a republic, the highest body charged with the administration of justice was the Privy Council. The Privy Council was a body of advisors to the British monarch that had the ultimate appellate jurisdiction over cases in Nigeria. It was the final court of appeal for all legal matters in the country, and its decisions were binding on all other courts. However, after Nigeria became a republic in 1963, the Privy Council's jurisdiction over the country was terminated, and the Supreme Court became the highest court of appeal.

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The Western zone of the Sokoto caliphate was administered from Gwandu -Othman Dan Fodio divied the Fulami empire into two- the Eastern and Western sections. The Eastern and Western sections. The Eastern section included Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Bauchi,Gombe and Yola with Sokoto as its capital while Ilorin, Kontagoro and Argungu with Gwandu as its capital were included in the Western section.

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In 1981, Nigeria participated in an Organization of African Unity peace-keeping force to replace Libyan forces in Chad.

Nigeria not only sent troops but hosted two reconciliation conferences in Kano and Lagos.

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Power differs from influence in that it is coercive while influence is persuasive. Power refers to the ability to control or influence others, usually through the use of force or coercion, while influence is the ability to persuade or convince others to follow a particular course of action voluntarily. Power often involves the use of authority or control over resources, while influence relies on the ability to build relationships, credibility, and trust.

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Public opinion is a viewpoint or belief that is held by a significant number of people within a particular society or community. It is a collective opinion or perspective on a particular issue or topic that is generally shared and actively discussed in the public realm. This can include opinions expressed through media outlets, social networks, or other forms of communication. Public opinion can be influenced by a variety of factors, including personal experience, cultural norms, and media coverage. It is important to note that public opinion is not necessarily unanimous or static and can change over time as new information becomes available or societal attitudes shift.

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The most remarkable legacy of the 1976 Local Government Reform in Nigeria was the introduction of uniformity in structure and functions.

In February 1976 Federal Military Government issued a degree establishing a uniform Local Government Structure throughout the country. The measure is significant in a away in the sense that the first time in the history of Nigeria a national rather than Region/state approach was adopted toward Local Government.

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The central legislature of Nigeria, which is the National Assembly, became bicameral in 1959. This means that it was made up of two separate houses or chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Before 1959, the central legislature was unicameral, meaning it had only one chamber. The bicameral system was introduced to provide a better representation of the diverse interests and perspectives of the Nigerian people. The Senate, which is the upper chamber, represents the interests of the states, while the House of Representatives, which is the lower chamber, represents the interests of the people.

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The powers of the President with respect to national security, both internal and external, are enormous as he is in complete control of the matter. He is the chairman of both the National Security Council and the National Defense Council and he appoints their members except the ex official members. The totality of the role of the National Defense Council is “to advise the President on matters relating to the defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria”

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The equivalent of a commissioner at the local government level is the supervisory Councillor. At the state level, a commissioner is the highest or completely in-charge of a particular ministry. For instance, the commissioner for education. He does not come in through election but through the appointment by the government of the state. Coming to the local government level, the supervisory Councillor for education as well as any other supervisory Councillor is appointed to the Executive Chairman of the local government subject to the approved of the Councillors.

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South-South cooperation is a policy plan based on collaboration and partnership between developing countries of the southern hemisphere. Nigeria's relations with other developing countries are guided by this policy plan, which seeks to foster cooperation and support among developing countries. It aims to enhance their economic growth and development, strengthen their political ties, and improve their social welfare. The policy plan recognizes the importance of solidarity and mutual assistance among developing countries as a means of achieving sustainable development and reducing poverty.

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The major factor that influenced the formulation of Nigerian foreign policy in the First Republic was the colonial legacy. This means that the policies of the colonial rulers and their impact on Nigeria's political, economic, and social structures shaped the way Nigeria interacted with other countries in the international system. Nigeria's foreign policy was influenced by the desire to assert its independence and establish its sovereignty in the international arena. Additionally, economic considerations played a significant role in Nigeria's foreign policy, as the country sought to promote its economic interests through trade and investment partnerships with other countries. However, the colonial legacy remained the dominant factor in shaping Nigeria's foreign policy in the First Republic.

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The political neutrality of civil servants means that they are expected to perform their duties impartially and without bias towards any political party or ideology. This includes not being allowed to be involved in partisan politics, not showing any political preferences, and not having any political affiliations. However, civil servants are allowed to vote and participate in political activities as private citizens, as long as they do not compromise their duty to remain neutral in their professional role.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is responsible for creating and keeping a record of eligible voters who are qualified to participate in elections. This record is called the register of voters. Therefore, INEC has the power to prepare and maintain the register of voters. This register is a critical document that helps ensure that only eligible citizens are allowed to vote during an election.

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When a bill passed by the legislature is vetoed by the executive, the action underscores the principle of "checks and balances." This principle refers to the distribution of powers between the different branches of government to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. In this case, the legislature has the power to create laws, but the executive branch has the power to veto those laws if they do not align with their agenda or beliefs. This serves as a check on the power of the legislature and ensures that the executive branch is not simply a rubber stamp for the legislature. By vetoing a bill, the executive branch is exerting its power to check the power of the legislature, which is an essential component of the checks and balances principle.

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Preparing the agenda of the organization's meeting is the function of the council of Ministers of the O.A.U.

The Council of Ministers is the body which is composed of the foreign ministers of member countries. it meets about twice a year but extra-ordinary meetings may be called if and such a request is approved by two-thirds of the members.

One of the responsibilities is preparing the agenda for the summit i.e the Assembly of Heads of State and Government

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Associational interest groups are groups of people who come together to promote a common cause or interest. These groups can be based on a shared ideology, identity, or industry, among other things. Associational interest groups are organized to further the interest of their members by advocating for policies or actions that benefit them. This can include lobbying the government to create laws that benefit their members or opposing laws that would harm them. Unlike interest groups that support the government, associational interest groups are not necessarily aligned with any political party or government. They may support or oppose policies or actions taken by the government, depending on how those policies affect their members. Associational interest groups typically work to achieve their goals independently, but they may also collaborate with other groups that share their interests or goals. However, they are not specifically organized to achieve goals affecting other associations.

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Under the 1963 constitution, items not listed in the exclusive and concurrent list were within the exclusive competence of the "Regional Legislatures". In other words, if an issue was not mentioned in the exclusive or concurrent list, it was left for the regional legislatures to decide. This gave the regions a significant amount of autonomy and allowed them to have greater control over local issues. The federal government was only responsible for issues listed in the exclusive and concurrent list. This system helped to promote regional development and allowed for more efficient governance by delegating power to the regions.

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During the Nigerian Civil War, the major power that expressed moral support for Biafra's self-determination was France. France provided arms and other forms of assistance to Biafra during the war. This was due to France's historical ties with the Igbo people of Nigeria and their opposition to the British-backed Nigerian government.

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In the late 1970s, the Nigerian government nationalized the Barclay's Bank and the British Petroleum Company for doing business with the apartheid regime in South Africa. The apartheid regime was a system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa that was widely condemned by the international community, including Nigeria. The Nigerian government viewed any company that did business with the apartheid regime as complicit in its oppression of the black majority in South Africa. As a result, the Nigerian government nationalized the assets of the Barclay's Bank and the British Petroleum Company in Nigeria to show its disapproval of their actions. Nationalization is the process of taking private property or assets into public ownership or control by a government.

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Some pre-colonial Nigerian societies are described as stateless because they had no formal governmental institutions, which means that there was no centralized authority that could enforce laws or regulate the society. Instead, they relied on informal systems of governance and decision-making, such as the council of elders, lineage heads, or community assemblies. Additionally, these societies had no definite political boundaries as we know them today, and the population was not necessarily too small or lacked independence. Rather, the absence of a formal state apparatus is what defines a stateless society.

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The Land Use Decree of 1978 vested the ownership of land in Nigeria in the state governments

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The 1979 Constitution of Nigeria recognized local government as a third tier of government in the country. This means that the constitution acknowledged the existence of local government as a separate and distinct level of government, alongside the federal and state governments. The constitution assigned certain responsibilities and powers to local governments, such as the provision of basic amenities like water, sanitation, and primary education, as well as the regulation of markets and other local affairs. The recognition of local government as a third tier of government was a significant step towards decentralization and grassroots development in Nigeria.

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In the pre-colonial era of Nigeria, the British colonial government appointed warrant chiefs to help administer local government in different parts of the country. One of the major functions of the warrant chiefs was to take charge of local administration. This involved working with the colonial authorities to collect taxes, maintain law and order, and provide basic services to their communities. The warrant chiefs also supervised the native courts and markets, and ensured that they operated according to the laws and regulations set by the colonial government. While the warrant chiefs played an important role in the administration of local government, they were also criticized for being used by the colonial authorities to maintain their control over the people.

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Nigeria's withdrawal from the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games in July 1986 was in protest against the British government's failure to impose sanctions on South Africa. The Nigerian government was unhappy with the British government's stance on apartheid in South Africa and believed that Britain should have done more to pressure the South African government to end apartheid. As a result, Nigeria decided to boycott the Commonwealth Games, which were being held in Edinburgh, as a way of showing its dissatisfaction with Britain's policy towards South Africa.

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Nigeria's recognition of the popular movement for the liberation of Angola to lead that country was made under General Murtala Muhammed.

According to J. U Anyaele (1994) Martala's administration's recognition of Agostintion Neto's popular movement for the liberation of Angola (MPLA) at the expenses of us and South Africa's support of UNITA and FNLA played a decisive role in Angolan independence"

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The manipulation of boundaries of constituencies in order to win more seats is called "gerrymandering". This means that the borders of electoral districts are deliberately redrawn to favor a particular political party or group. This can be done by creating boundaries that group together voters who are likely to support a certain party, or by splitting up areas that traditionally vote against a particular party. The goal of gerrymandering is to give one political party an unfair advantage in elections, by ensuring that they win more seats than they would if the boundaries were drawn fairly. Gerrymandering is considered to be undemocratic and can undermine the integrity of elections.

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The standing committee of a legislature is one that performs adhoc functions.

In the Presidential System of Government for instance, the bill is sent to the appropriate standing committee for study and report to the House. The committee also reports back to the House for the second reading to take place. It is the duty of the committee to study and report and not to pass the bill

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The Nigerian Youth Movement collapsed as the result of the breakup of its leadership. The movement was in no distant time torn apart by leadership crisis. The crisis split the movement into factions. the two principal contestant were Ernest Ikoli and S.A Akorisanya

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The first Nigerian Permanent Representative to United Nations was General Joseph Garba.

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One major feature of authoritarianism is that the government is centralized. This means that a small group of people, such as a dictator or ruling party, hold most or all of the political power in the country. Decisions are made at the top and enforced throughout the rest of the government and society. This is different from a decentralized government, where power is more spread out among different groups and individuals.

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The central decision-making organ of a confederation is made up of politicians nominated by governments of member states.

There is even no central because the legislature of the whole country because the legislature of the confederating states remain and make laws for the units.

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The method used by the British to facilitate the administration of Southern Nigeria was "divide and rule." This means that the British intentionally created divisions between different groups in Nigeria in order to weaken them and make them easier to control. They did this by giving preferential treatment to some groups while marginalizing others, creating tensions and rivalries that made it difficult for the Nigerians to unite against British rule. Ultimately, this strategy allowed the British to maintain their power and control over Southern Nigeria for many years.

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When Nigeria achieved independence in 1960, the Head of state was the governor General.

One of the main provisions of the constitution of 1960 was that the governor general was made the constitutional ceremonial Head of state and a representative of the Queen of England.

G.A.I Ofoegbu (1999) described the Queen of England as the "Over all head of the country" that is called Nigeria.

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The idea of making the civil service permanent, neutral, and anonymous is to enhance efficiency in administration, which means making sure that the government runs smoothly and effectively. By being permanent, civil servants can provide continuity and institutional memory, which is important for maintaining consistency in government policies and programs. By being neutral, civil servants are expected to serve the government of the day, regardless of their personal political beliefs or affiliations. This ensures that they can provide objective advice to government leaders without being influenced by partisan interests. By being anonymous, civil servants are shielded from political pressures or retribution, which can create a culture of fear and inhibit their ability to do their jobs effectively. Overall, the goal of making the civil service permanent, neutral, and anonymous is to create a functional elite that can provide expert advice, implement policies effectively, and serve the public interest without fear or favor.

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The major demand of the Third World countries on the United Nations in recent times is the expansion of the permanent membership of the Security Council.

One of the achievements of the O.A.U. is provision of one voice. As a result of now able to speak with one at the United Nations General Assembly as well as its other organs such as the Security

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One argument against a mult-party system is the high cost of conducting election. It is very expensive in both men and materials.

It should be noted that encouragement of opposition and instability is also correct. The unhealthy rivalry, frequent political re-alignment and coalition make government of a country to be weak and unstable.

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The Murtala/Obasanjo regime in Nigeria increased the number of states from "12 to 19". Before this regime, there were 12 states in Nigeria, but after the regime took power, they decided to create 7 additional states, which brought the total number of states in Nigeria to 19. The goal of this increase was to help decentralize power and resources, as well as to promote economic development and regional autonomy. This move was seen as a significant step towards greater political and economic stability in Nigeria.

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The central point of capitalism, as expounded by Karl Marx, is that capitalist profit is the surplus value obtained from workers' labor. In a capitalist system, the means of production are owned by the capitalists who employ workers to produce goods and services. According to Marx, the value of these goods and services is created by the labor of the workers, but the capitalists extract surplus value from the workers by paying them less than the value they create. This surplus value is the source of profit for the capitalists. Marx believed that this exploitation of workers was inherent to capitalism and would eventually lead to its downfall, as the working class would rise up and overthrow the capitalist class.

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has made progress in the area of increased trade among its member countries. ECOWAS has implemented various policies and initiatives aimed at improving trade and economic cooperation among its member countries. This includes the establishment of a free trade area, removal of trade barriers, and implementation of a common external tariff. These efforts have led to an increase in intra-regional trade and investment, which has boosted economic growth and development in the region. While ECOWAS has also made some progress in the areas of political integration and providing financial aid to its members, its most notable progress has been in improving regional trade and economic cooperation.

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In a system where the constitution is supreme, the constitution is the highest law of the land. This means that all other laws and actions taken by the government must be in line with the constitution. If the executive or legislature takes an action that is unconstitutional, the courts have the power of judicial review to check that action. Judicial review is the power of the courts to review the constitutionality of actions taken by the government and to declare those actions unconstitutional if they violate the constitution. This power allows the courts to act as a check on the other branches of government, ensuring that they do not overstep their constitutional bounds. If the courts find that an action taken by the executive or legislature is unconstitutional, they can declare that action null and void, effectively striking it down. This power is different from recall, which is a process by which voters can remove an elected official from office before the end of their term. It is also different from a vote of no confidence, which is a parliamentary procedure by which the legislature can express its lack of support for the executive. Impeachment is a process by which an elected official can be removed from office for committing a high crime or misdemeanor.

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After 1945, the demand of African nationalists changed from reform to independence because the second World War boosted their morale.

The war exposed the myth surrounding white supremacy. The ex-soldiers from West African saw that the whites were not as strong as they portrayed themselves to Nigerians and in fact that coming back from the war they assorted their rights and joined the nationalists in the struggle for independence.

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A constitution that requires a plebiscite or a referendum to be amended is called a "rigid" constitution. This means that the constitution is difficult to change, and the process to amend it requires a significant amount of effort, such as a vote of the people. In contrast, a "flexible" constitution can be easily changed by the government or legislature without the need for a plebiscite or referendum. A constitution that is "written" is one that is codified in a single document, whereas an "unwritten" constitution is based on a combination of laws, court decisions, and customs.

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Nigeria's departure from pro-west policy during the Murtala Muhammed regime was primarily driven by its concern for decolonization in Africa. Nigeria, under Murtala Muhammed's leadership, was committed to promoting the interests of African nations and achieving independence for other African countries that were still under colonial rule. This was reflected in Nigeria's foreign policy, which emphasized solidarity with other African nations and non-alignment with any superpower blocs. Nigeria's increased international influence and growing trade with the East may have also played a role, but they were not the primary drivers of the shift in policy. The economic interests of the West in Nigeria were not a major factor in this shift, although they may have contributed to some tensions between Nigeria and Western nations.

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The first restructure of the Nigerian Federation took place with the creation of mid-west Region in 1963.

The creation of mid-west Region which came into effect on October 1, 1963 was one of the provisions of 1963 constitution. With that the mid-western Region was carried out from the western Region. Nigeria then had four Regions and no more three.

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A bicameral legislature has two chambers, while a unicameral legislature has only one. One of the advantages of a bicameral legislature is that it prevents the passage of ill-considered bills. This is because the two chambers provide a system of checks and balances, where each chamber must agree on a bill before it can become law. The two chambers allow for a more thorough examination of bills and ensure that the interests of all parts of the country are represented, promoting more thoughtful and well-considered legislation.

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The fundamental rights of citizens include rights to life,speech and association.

J. U. Anyaele (1991) enumerated some rights such as:

1. Right to life which no body shall intentionally deprive a citizen.

2. Right to peaceful assembly and association.

3. Right to freedom of expression and press.