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Free JAMB Past Question for government

Q.1

Which of the following best describes totalitarianism?

A. Extreme decentralization

B. Devolution of power

C. Excessive centralization

D. Delegation of power

Correct Answer: option c

Show explanation

Totalitarianism is a form of government that seeks to control virtually all aspects of public and private life. This is characterized by an excessive centralization of power in the hands of a single dictator or a small ruling elite, with minimal individual freedom and widespread state control.

Q.2

Which of the following pre-colonial political systems was characterized by a decentralized, segmentary structure with no single ruler, but with authority vested in a council of elders or a lineage system?

A) Yoruba

B) Hausa-Fulani

C) Igbo

D) Tiv


Correct Answer: option c

Further reading: Pre-colonial Polities

Show explanation

The Igbo political system was a classic example of a decentralized, acephalous society. Unlike the centralized systems of the Yoruba and Hausa, the Igbo political structure was based on lineages, age-grades, and other autonomous social units, with no single, overarching ruler.

Q.3

What is a major problem faced by the civil service in Nigeria?

A) Lack of adequate funding.

B) Over-politicization and corruption.

C) The absence of a formal structure.

D) A high degree of public trust and accountability.


Correct Answer: option b

Further reading: The Civil Service

Show explanation

One of the significant problems of the civil service in Nigeria is its politicization and issues of corruption. The erosion of neutrality and professionalism due to political interference and corrupt practices has often hindered its effectiveness.

Q.4

The major objective of pressure group is to

A. change government

B. influence government

C. form government

D. fund election

Correct Answer: option b

Show explanation

Pressure groups (also known as interest groups) are organizations that seek to influence government policies and decisions without actually seeking to hold political power themselves (unlike political parties). They represent specific interests and advocate for their causes.

Q.5

What is a key ingredient of a free and fair election?

A) The complete absence of political parties.

B) A single-party system.

C) An independent electoral commission.

D) A mandatory indirect electoral system.


Correct Answer: option c

Further reading: The Electoral Process

Show explanation

An independent electoral commission is a crucial ingredient for a free and fair election. Its independence ensures that the electoral process is conducted without bias and that the results are credible and widely accepted.

Q.6

The French colonial policy that aimed to transform African subjects into French citizens by absorbing them into French culture was known as:

A) Indirect Rule

B) Association

C) Assimilation

D) Crown Colony


Correct Answer: option c

Further reading: Imperialist Penetration

Show explanation

The French policy of assimilation aimed to turn the colonized people into French citizens by having them adopt French language, culture, and laws. This was in stark contrast to the British policy of Indirect Rule

Q.7

Independence of the judiciary connotes that

A. Judges must be free from any influence

B. Judges must be allowed to participate in politics

C. Court judges are free to administer oaths of office

D. Judiciary must not be involved in law making

Correct Answer: option a

Show explanation

The independence of the judiciary is a cornerstone of democratic governance. It means that judges and the judicial system are impartial and free from improper influence from other branches of government (executive and legislature), political parties, or private interests, allowing them to make decisions based solely on law and fact. Judges participating in politics (B) would compromise this.

Q.8

When a vote of no confidence is passed in a parliamentary system of government, it leads to the resignation of

A. The entire cabinet

B. The prime minister

C. An individual minister

D. The entire parliament

Correct Answer: option a

Show explanation

In a parliamentary system, a vote of no confidence (or censure motion) indicates that the legislature no longer has confidence in the executive. If such a vote passes, it typically leads to the resignation of the entire cabinet (including the Prime Minister), or it may trigger a general election.

Q.9

A system of government in which individual rules with absolute power is

A. Autocracy

B. Theocracy

C. Democracy

D. Aristocracy


Correct Answer: option a

Show explanation

An autocracy is a system of government where one person holds absolute power.

  1. Theocracy (B) is a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god.
  2. Democracy (C) is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
  3. Aristocracy (D) is a form of government in which power is held by the nobility.


Q.10

The National Boundary Commission was established to address the problem of:

A) Corruption in the civil service.

B) Electoral fraud and malpractices.

C) Disputes over internal boundaries between states and local governments.

D) Public complaints against government officials.


Correct Answer: option c

Further reading: Public Commissions Established by the 1979 and Subsequent Constitutions

Show explanation

The National Boundary Commission is a public body established to manage and resolve disputes that arise over the boundaries of states, local governments, and even international borders

Q.11

The appointment, promotion and discipline of civil servants is the responsibility of the

A. Civil Service Commission

B. Judicial Service Commission

C. Public Complaints Commission

D. Public Service Institute of Nigeria

Correct Answer: option a

Show explanation

The Civil Service Commission is the government body responsible for managing the personnel affairs of the civil service, including recruitment, promotions, transfers, and disciplinary actions.

Q.12

Nigeria's federation is

A. Two tier system

B. One tier system

C. Four tier system

D. Three tier system

Correct Answer: option d

Show explanation

Nigeria operates a three-tier federal system of government: the Federal Government (central), the State Governments, and the Local Governments.

Q.13

The sources of international laws come from

A. Domestic and treaties

B. International law and treaties

C. Local courts and international courts

D. Customs, treaties, codified by authoritative bodies. courts and universal jurisdiction

Correct Answer: option d

Show explanation

The primary sources of international law, as recognized by the Statute of the International Court of Justice, include:

  1. International conventions (treaties), whether general or particular.
  2. International custom, as evidence of a general practice accepted as law.
  3. The general principles of law recognized by civilized nations.

Judicial decisions (courts) and the teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of the various nations, as subsidiary means for the determination of rules of law. Option D provides the most comprehensive and accurate list, including customs, treaties (codified by authoritative bodies), and the role of courts (and the concept of universal jurisdiction).

Q.14

The ultimate aim of political parties is to

A. increase the political awareness of electorate

B. formulate and implement policies

C. implement people-oriented programmes

D. acquire and exercise power

Correct Answer: option d

Show explanation

While political parties may engage in increasing political awareness (A), formulating policies (B), and implementing programs (C) if they are in government, their fundamental and ultimate aim is to acquire and exercise political power (i.e., win elections and govern) in order to implement their agenda.

Q.15

Successive population figures have been contested in Nigeria because of

A. gender consideration

B. geographical disparity

C. religious consideration

D. political consideration


Correct Answer: option d

Show explanation

Population census figures in Nigeria have historically been highly contentious and politicized. Different regions and ethnic groups often believe that census figures are manipulated for political consideration, as population size directly impacts political representation (electoral districts) and resource allocation from the federal government.

Q.16

What is a common problem associated with public corporations and parastatals in Nigeria?

A) Excessive political control and interference.

B) High levels of efficiency and profitability.

C) A complete lack of public funding.

D) Their non-profit orientation.


Correct Answer: option a

Further reading: Public Corporations and Parastatals

Show explanation

Public corporations in Nigeria often face significant challenges due to excessive political interference, which can lead to inefficiency, mismanagement, and a lack of accountability

Q.17

Nigeria's policy of non-alignment during the Cold War meant that the country:

A) Was a member of the Eastern Bloc.

B) Supported the Western Bloc.

C) Refused to align with either the Western or Eastern power blocs.

D) Had no diplomatic relations with any country.


Correct Answer: option c

Further reading: Nigeria's Foreign Policy

Show explanation

Nigeria's non-alignment policy was a deliberate foreign policy stance during the Cold War where the country chose not to formally align with either the capitalist Western Bloc led by the USA or the communist Eastern Bloc led by the Soviet Union

Q.18

Which of the following binds Commonwealth Nations together?

A. Common Colonial History

B. Uniform Political System

C. Common Currency

D. Common Language

Correct Answer: option a

Show explanation

The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal sovereign states, most of which were formerly part of the British Empire.

Their shared common colonial history under British rule is the primary historical and cultural bond that brings them together.

  1. They do not have a uniform political system (B).
  2. No common currency (C).
  3. Necessarily a common language (D, though English is often used as a lingua franca).

Q.19

The policy of assimilation was the colonial policy of the

A. British

B. French

C. German

D. Portuguese


Correct Answer: option b

Show explanation

The French colonial policy, particularly in West Africa, was characterized by the policy of assimilation. This policy aimed to integrate colonial subjects into French culture, language, and political systems, eventually granting them rights similar to French citizens if they adopted French ways.

The British, in contrast, largely favored a policy of indirect rule.


Q.20

Which nationalist leader is often referred to as the 'father of Nigerian nationalism' for his early political activism?

A) Nnamdi Azikiwe

B) Obafemi Awolowo

C) Herbert Macaulay

D) Ahmadu Bello



Correct Answer: option c

Further reading: Process of Decolonization

Show explanation

Herbert Macaulay is widely regarded as the founding father of Nigerian nationalism. He established the first political party in Nigeria, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), in 1923, and was a prominent critic of British colonial rule.

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