JAMB Government 2002 Past Questions & Answers

Delegated legislation refers to the power given by the legislature (the main law-making body) to the executive arm (like ministers and government agencies) to make detailed rules and regulations. This becomes unavoidable when the subject of a law is highly technical or specialized, as the members of the legislature may not have the expert knowledge required to make effective rules. Therefore, they pass a broad law and delegate the power to create the specific, technical details to experts in the relevant government ministry or department.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option D, thinking that laws must be made even when the legislature is on break, but a recess is a planned pause and not the primary reason for delegating law-making power.

Public opinion is meant to be the collective view of the people, but a major weakness is that it's not always accurately represented. Often, a small but very active and outspoken group (a vocal minority) can dominate the media and public discussions. This makes it seem like their opinion is the majority view, even when most people might be silent or disagree, which misleads leaders.

Common mistake: Students may confuse a disadvantage with a related activity and choose option C, but while gossip can influence public opinion, the structural problem of a vocal minority misrepresenting the majority is a more fundamental disadvantage.

Citizenship is the legal status of being a member of a country, which comes with specific rights and duties. The most important right that defines a citizen and separates them from non-citizens is the ability to participate fully in the country's political process. This includes the right to vote and the right to be voted for, which are known as full political rights.

Common mistake: Students may be tempted by other options because citizens do have social and religious rights, but they fail to recognize that full political rights are the unique and defining characteristic of citizenship that non-citizens typically do not possess.

Communism is a political and economic ideology that aims to create a society without social classes. In the process of achieving this goal, it requires a very powerful state to control all aspects of life, including the economy and society. Therefore, the system of government in a communist country absolutely recognizes and uses the power of the state to enforce its principles.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose 'class stratification' because they associate communism with class struggle, but the ideology's goal is to eliminate classes, not to recognize or maintain them.

The Electoral Commission, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria, is the body legally responsible for organizing and supervising elections. A major part of this duty is the delineation of constituencies, which means dividing the country into electoral districts to ensure fair representation. This process is a fundamental step in the overall electoral process.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose 'boundary commission' because it sounds similar, but this body typically deals with larger administrative or international boundaries, not the smaller electoral constituencies.

The civil service is organised in a pyramid-like structure known as a hierarchy. This means there are different levels of authority, with the most senior officials (like Permanent Secretaries) at the top and junior staff at the bottom. Orders and responsibilities flow from the top downwards, creating a clear chain of command.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'merit system' because it is a key principle of the civil service, but it describes how people are employed, not the organisational structure itself.

In a multi-party system, many political parties compete for power, making it difficult for one party to win an overall majority of seats in an election. To form a government and gain the required majority to pass laws, several parties often have to agree to work together. This formal agreement to combine their seats and govern together is called a coalition.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose 'the party with the highest votes', but having the most votes (a plurality) is not enough to form a government if it is not an outright majority (more than 50%).

In Nigeria, the administrative cadre is the senior professional class within the civil service, responsible for policy formulation and implementation. The minimum educational qualification required for direct entry into this cadre is a first university degree. This ensures that officers possess the necessary intellectual capacity for the high-level responsibilities of the role, regardless of their specific field of study.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose option C, believing that a specific degree in public administration is required, but the civil service rule allows for graduates from any discipline to enter the administrative cadre.

In a system with separation of powers, each arm of government has its specific function. The judiciary's primary role is to interpret the law, and the highest court (like the Supreme Court) has the final authority to interpret the constitution. This power, known as judicial review, ensures that all laws and actions of the government align with the constitution.

Common mistake: Students often confuse the legislature's power to make laws with the judiciary's power to interpret them, leading them to incorrectly choose the highest legislative body.

The main difference between a pressure group and a political party is their primary goal, which is their objective. A political party's main objective is to win elections and gain control of the government to implement its broad policies. In contrast, a pressure group's objective is not to rule but to influence government policies and decisions on specific issues that concern its members.

Common mistake: Students may mistakenly choose 'ideology' because both groups can have strong beliefs, but the fundamental difference lies in their ultimate goal (to rule vs. to influence), not just their belief system.