WAEC Government 2001 past questions

Checked by the Skolra question team · Last updated 15 October 2026

Ten questions from the 2001 WAEC Government paper, with answers and explanations. We hold 50 questions from this paper, and the Skolra app has all of them.

WAEC Government 2001 questions and answers

1. 1.Who among the following was dismissed from the Action Group at the Jos Congress of February, 1962?
   1. A
      Chief S.L. Akintola
      Correct
   2. B
      Chief Rotimi Williams
   3. C
      Dr Olu Akinfosile
   4. D
      Chief Anthony Enahoro
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   Answer: A

   At the Action Group Federal Congress held in Jos in February 1962, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola was removed as Deputy Leader of the party following a power struggle with party leader Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Akintola was subsequently removed as Premier of the Western Region, a crisis that ultimately led to the federal government declaring a state of emergency in the West.

2. 2.A multi-party system often leads to the formation of
   1. A
      coalition government
      Correct
   2. B
      theocratic government
   3. C
      military government
   4. D
      one-party dictatorship
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   Answer: A

   In a multi-party system, no single party may win an outright majority, making it necessary for two or more parties to form a coalition government in order to command a working majority in the legislature.

3. 3.A practice by which semi autonomous units are given part of governmental powers and functions is known as
   1. A
      delegation
   2. B
      confederation
   3. C
      devolution
      Correct
   4. D
      decentralization
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   Answer: C

   Devolution is the process by which a central government grants or transfers powers and functions to semi-autonomous regional or sub-national units, enabling them to exercise a degree of self-governance.

4. 4.The three main contesting issues about revenue allocation in Nigeria are
   1. A
      GDP, foreign debt, and population
   2. B
      derivation, population, and land mass
      Correct
   3. C
      population, derivation, and equality of states
   4. D
      agriculture, oil production, and industry
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   Answer: B

   The three most contested principles in Nigeria's revenue allocation debates are derivation (rewarding oil-producing states), population (sharing based on headcount), and land mass (accounting for geographic size and infrastructure costs).

5. 5.The dissolution of parliament is usually following by a
   1. A
      military coup
   2. B
      general election
      Correct
   3. C
      referendum
   4. D
      constitutional review
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   Answer: B

   When parliament is dissolved, whether at the end of its term or by the head of state, a general election must follow so that the electorate can choose a new parliament.

6. 6.The first agent of political socialization is
   1. A
      the school
   2. B
      the family
      Correct
   3. C
      mass media
   4. D
      peer groups
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   Answer: B

   The family is the first and most influential agent of political socialization. From birth, children begin absorbing political values, attitudes, and beliefs from their parents and immediate family members.

7. 7.Carpet-crossing is a characteristic of
   1. A
      two-party system
   2. B
      one-party system
   3. C
      military government
   4. D
      multi-party system
      Correct
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   Answer: D

   Carpet-crossing (defecting from one party to another while retaining one's legislative seat) is most associated with multi-party systems where numerous parties compete and legislators may switch allegiances for political advantage.

8. 8.Which of the following Nigerian constitutions brought the Northern Provinces into the Legislative Council?
   1. A
      Clifford Constitution of 1922
   2. B
      Macpherson Constitution of 1951
   3. C
      Richards Constitution of 1946
      Correct
   4. D
      Lyttleton Constitution of 1954
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   Answer: C

   The Richards Constitution of 1946 was the first to include the Northern Provinces in a central legislative body. The earlier Clifford Constitution of 1922 confined the Legislative Council to Southern Nigeria and Lagos. The Richards Constitution thus brought all three regions into a unified, though still advisory, legislative framework for the first time.

9. 9.Rule by decrees is associated with
   1. A
      constitutional monarchy
   2. B
      military government
      Correct
   3. C
      parliamentary democracy
   4. D
      presidential democracy
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   Answer: B

   Military governments rule by decrees — executive instruments that carry the force of law without passing through a legislature. Because constitutions and elected legislatures are typically suspended under military rule, the head of state issues decrees to govern, bypassing normal democratic law-making processes.

10. 10.Which of the following is a method of acquiring political power in a democracy?
    1. A
       Inheritance
    2. B
       Revolution
    3. C
       Competitive election
       Correct
    4. D
       Military coup
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    Answer: C

    In a democracy, political power is acquired through free and competitive elections. Citizens vote to choose their representatives, making elections the legitimate and constitutional means of gaining political office.

The questions come from past JAMB, WAEC and NECO papers. We use software to help write the answer options and explanations, and every answer is checked twice before it goes on the site. How we check

Spotted a wrong answer? Tell us from the app or on the contact page and we check it.

Practise all 50 questions we hold from the 2001 paper, on a timed CBT screen

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