WAEC Government 2012 past questions
Ten questions from the 2012 WAEC Government paper, with answers and explanations. We hold 48 questions from this paper, and the Skolra app has all of them.
WAEC Government 2012 questions and answers
-
1.The coming together of two or more political parties to from a government is
- Aa coalition governmentCorrect
- Ba unitary government
- Ca federal government
- Da minority government
Show answerHide answer
Answer: A
When two or more political parties come together to jointly form and run a government, the arrangement is called a coalition government. This typically occurs when no single party wins enough seats to govern on its own, requiring inter-party agreements on policy direction and the sharing of ministerial positions.
- A
-
2.A military coup détat is followed by
- Afree and fair elections
- Btransfer of power to the judiciary
- Csuspension of the constitutionCorrect
- Dformation of a coalition government
Show answerHide answer
Answer: C
A military coup d'état is typically followed by the suspension of the constitution. The incoming military authority dissolves the legislature, removes elected officials from office, and governs by decree rather than through constitutional procedures. This suspension eliminates the legal framework that normally limits and regulates governmental power.
- A
-
3.A rigid constitution is a feature of
- Afederal statesCorrect
- Bunitary states
- Cmonarchies
- Dmilitary states
Show answerHide answer
Answer: A
A rigid constitution requires a special and more difficult procedure to amend than ordinary legislation. This feature is characteristically associated with federal states, where the constitution serves as the supreme law distributing powers between the central and component governments, and must be protected from easy alteration by either tier of government.
- A
-
4.Which of the following cannot be found in a constitution?
- Acitizenship provisions
- Bstructure of government
- Cfundamental human rights
- Dminutes of cabinet meetingsCorrect
Show answerHide answer
Answer: D
A constitution contains the fundamental rules of governance — including the structure of government, the distribution of powers, fundamental rights, and citizenship provisions. Minutes of cabinet meetings are internal administrative records of the executive branch; they are produced under executive procedure and are never enshrined in a constitution.
- A
-
5.One-party system leads to
- Arespect for human rights
- Bseparation of powers
- Cdemocratic governance
- DdictatorshipCorrect
Show answerHide answer
Answer: D
A one-party system eliminates political competition and concentrates power in a single party, creating conditions that inevitably lead to dictatorship. Without opposition parties, accountability is undermined, citizens have no meaningful electoral choice, and the ruling party governs without effective checks on its authority.
- A
-
6.The recruitment of personnel into civil service by the public/civil service commission prevents
- Apromotion of staff on merit
- Bpolitical patronage and favoritismCorrect
- Cefficient service delivery
- Dadherence to civil service rules
Show answerHide answer
Answer: B
Recruiting civil servants through an independent public or civil service commission prevents political patronage and favoritism. By using merit-based examinations and structured processes managed by an impartial body, the commission ensures appointments are made on ability rather than on political connections or ethnic affiliations.
- A
-
7.The ability to command obedience is called
- AauthorityCorrect
- Bsovereignty
- Cdemocracy
- Dlegitimacy
Show answerHide answer
Answer: A
Authority is defined in political science as the recognised right to issue commands and expect compliance from others. It differs from mere power — which can be exercised through force — in that authority is accepted as legitimate by those who obey. A leader exercises authority when followers comply willingly because they accept that leader's right to direct them.
- A
-
8.Delegated legislation is unpopular because it
- Astrengthens the power of the legislature
- Breduces parliamentary oversight of law-makingCorrect
- Cpromotes the independence of the judiciary
- Dincreases government revenue without approval
Show answerHide answer
Answer: B
Delegated legislation grants rule-making powers to bodies other than the legislature, typically executive ministries or agencies. This is criticised because it reduces parliamentary oversight: regulations are made without the full scrutiny of elected representatives, weakening the principle of legislative supremacy and making it harder for citizens to hold law-makers directly accountable.
- A
-
9.The 'first-past-the-post system of voting is also called
- Asecond ballot system
- Balternative vote system
- Cproportional representation
- Dsimple majority systemCorrect
Show answerHide answer
Answer: D
The first-past-the-post electoral system is also known as the simple majority system. Under this system, the candidate who obtains the highest number of votes wins the election, regardless of whether they secured an absolute majority. It is used in countries such as the United Kingdom and, for certain elections, Nigeria.
- A
-
10.Which of the following is a source of political power?
- Apopular electionCorrect
- Bacademic qualification
- Cbusiness success
- Dfamily size
Show answerHide answer
Answer: A
In modern democratic states, popular election is a primary source of political power. When citizens vote to confer authority on a candidate or party, that electoral mandate becomes the basis for legitimate governance. Recognised sources of political power include election, tradition, charisma, and legal-rational authority — with popular election being the defining source in representative democracy.
- A
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 48 questions we hold from the 2012 paper, on a timed CBT screen
Every question has the answer and an explanation, in the Skolra app.