All 50 questions from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Government 2023 Objective paper, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Free, no signup needed.
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The underlying principle of the concept of separation of powers is mainly to
Separation of powers splits government functions among different organs mainly to prevent the abuse and arbitrary use of power.
What is commonly referred to as the association of the government and the governed?
The state is the political community comprising both the government and the citizens (the governed) living within its boundaries.
The exercise of power can arise from any of the following sources except
Ideology is a body of thought, not a source or type of power that can be exercised; the other options are recognised sources/types of power.
There are two types of committee systems in the House of parliament as part of their operations and one of such is
Parliament operates through the committee system; a committee of selected members and the 'Committee of the Whole House' (all members) are the two main types.
Maintenance of law and order in a state is the function of the
The executive arm maintains law and order through the police and other law enforcement agencies.
The local government system assists best in mentoring and grooming people for
Local government is the grassroots tier of administration and serves as a training ground for political leadership and governance skills.
The Fundamental Human Rights and Liberties must be entrenched in a constitution to
Entrenchment makes fundamental rights hard to amend or remove, guaranteeing they are protected and not easily tampered with.
An executive president is one who wields the powers of a
In a presidential system, the executive president combines the ceremonial (Head of State) and executive (Head of Government) powers.
The official routine observed in carrying out functions in the civil service is commonly known as
Bureaucracy refers to adherence to rules in an official setting and the hierarchical structuring of authority in an organisation, popularised by Max Weber.
The Public Service Commission performs he following functions except
The Public Service Commission handles recruitment, transfers, promotion, discipline and welfare of public servants; taxation is not one of its functions.
The issues that are at the core of a country foreign policy are referred to as
National interest is the core factor that shapes and guides a country's relations with other states.
One of the major criticisms levelled against the United Nations (UN) is its inability to
The UN Security Council's permanent membership (with veto power) is lopsided, excluding regions such as Africa, which is a major criticism of the UN.
The functions of the Diplomatic Missions include the following except
Payment of staff salaries is handled by the home government's relevant agencies, not a core diplomatic function of the mission itself.
One of the functions of the electoral management body is to
An electoral management body is responsible for fairly interpreting and applying electoral laws in the conduct of elections.
The rigid nature of a constitution makes it
A rigid constitution requires special, often difficult, procedures before it can be amended.
Bicameral legislature contributes to the democratic process by
Having two legislative chambers expands membership and representation, widening political participation in government.
The judiciary occupies an important place in every state because it is
The judiciary interprets the law, settles disputes and adjudicates cases, and is regarded as the protector of the rights of the people.
The French Colonial policies in her West African colonies were different from the British in many ways except in
Both British and French colonial rule were fundamentally imperialistic in nature, even though their specific administrative methods differed.
The pattern of rule by the French in her West African colonies was highly
French colonial rule was highly centralised, with all French West African colonies administered from the headquarters in Dakar, Senegal.
One of the negative effects of colonial rule on West African states was the
Colonial rule left West African states heavily dependent on their former colonial masters economically, militarily and technologically.
Unitary system of government is adopted by some states because
A unitary system concentrates authority in one central body and is usually suited to relatively small, homogeneous populations.
Apart from globalization, what other factor to a large extent affects the sovereignty of a state
International laws and treaties can limit a state's freedom of action and thus affect its exercise of sovereignty.
The reason for which the government should take a key interest in the activities of pressure groups is that, they
Pressure groups provide feedback to government on the effect of its policies, which is why government takes interest in their activities.
Elections plays a major role in the democracy process because. It
Elections are the constitutional process by which citizens choose their representatives, and this confers legitimacy on the resulting government.
Public opinion is formed through the following channels except
The cabinet consists of the head of government and ministers; it is not a channel through which public opinion is formed.
The civil service is different from the public service in terms of
The civil service and public service differ mainly in their conditions of service, even though both serve government.
The media, commonly referred to as the fourth estate of the realm, monitors the activities of government on behalf of the
As the 'fourth estate', the media serves as the eyes of the citizenry, monitoring and reporting government activities to the people.
One of the high points of the activities of the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA) led to the
The NCBWA's demands led to the introduction of the elective principle under the Clifford Constitution of Nigeria (1922) and later the Guggisberg Constitution of Gold Coast (1925).
The biggest obstacle which also slowed down nationalist activities in French West African Colonies was the
The assimilation policy co-opted the educated elite into the colonial government, making them reluctant to join the nationalist struggle.
The best way to keep the military at bay from interfering in politics is by ensuring
Bad governance is the main reason usually cited for military intervention in politics; good governance removes the justification for such intervention.
Secret voting assists the voter in making a decision without
Secret balloting allows a voter to cast their vote anonymously, free from intimidation or coercion.
Which system of government allows for and guarantees maximum competition?
Capitalism is a political and economic system that is built on individualism and competition.
One of the factors that influences decentralization of power in a state is a
Decentralisation transfers functions from a higher authority to subordinate authorities in order to widen political participation, especially at the grassroots.
One of the low points in the cabinet system of government is that, the
In the cabinet system, government's tenure is tied to the confidence of parliament, so a government that loses parliamentary support, especially under coalitions, may not complete its tenure.
What type of right enables citizens to participate in state affairs?
Political rights enable citizens to participate in the political affairs of the state, such as voting and contesting elections.
The reluctance of military regimes to hand-over power to civilian administration is because, they
Military regimes often become reluctant to relinquish power due to an entrenched sense of entitlement to rule.
The following issues are some of the challenges the United Nations (UN) addresses except
The UN is not primarily concerned with oligarchical regimes (rule by a select few) in any particular part of the world; the other options are recognised UN concerns.
The African Union (AU) is saddled with one of these challenges and that is
One of the major problems confronting the African Union is rising tension and political conflict among its member states.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is now confronted with a new security threat which is
The rise of religious/violent extremism (e.g. Boko Haram) is one of the new security threats now facing ECOWAS.
The Commonwealth of Nations is committed to one of the following principles;
One of the core objectives of the Commonwealth of Nations is the promotion of democracy and human rights among member states.
Which one among the following is a significant factor that influences the foreign policy of a country?
A country's political system (democratic, federal, unitary, authoritarian etc.) plays an important role in shaping its foreign policy.
The art of maintaining peaceful relationship between states, groups or individuals mostly come about as a result of the activities and functions of
Diplomats represent their countries abroad and their functions are primarily aimed at ensuring harmonious relations between their host and home governments.
One of the formidable challenges the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is confronted with is the
NEPAD's dependence on foreign donors for funding is one of its major challenges, hampering the smooth implementation of its programmes.
The overriding consideration for the creation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) was to place Africa on the path to
NEPAD was established in 2001 with the primary aim of promoting economic growth and development on the African continent.
A democratic country is one in which the people have the right to
Democracy is a system of government based on the consent and participation of the people, who have the right to take part in decision-making, either directly or through elected representatives.
A state that has two levels of government is commonly referred to as
A federal state has at least two levels of government - the central/federal government and regional/state governments.
The cornerstone of a functioning democracy is the
Regular free and fair elections are the cornerstone of democracy, as they allow the people to participate in choosing their leaders.
Which of the following systems of government does not practice collective responsibility?
Collective responsibility means the cabinet is collectively accountable to parliament; this is not a feature of communalism, which emphasises collective ownership rather than collective governmental accountability.
A social, political and economic arrangement in which landed property and other natural resources are collectively owned is referred to as
In communalism, land and resources are held in common and used to cater for the needs of every member of the community.
A public declaration of policy and aims, especially one issued before an election by a political party or candidate is commonly called
A manifesto is the proposed programme of a political party or candidate, containing the policies it seeks to implement if voted into power.
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