2006 - JAMB Government Past Questions and Answers - page 4

The Supreme Military Council was the highest decision-making body under the Gowon Regime.

Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) was introduced during the regime of General Babangida to replace the Supreme Military Council while Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) was introduced during the time of General Abacha to replace the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC).

The Supreme Military Council was composed of:

1. The Head of State

2. The Heads of the Navy

3. Air Force

4. The Chief of Army Staff and

5. The State Military Governors.

A bill could become law without the president's assent if supported by a two-thirds majority of the legislature.

Where the President withholds his assent and the bill is again passed by each House by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the President shall not be required.

A right enjoyed by citizens but denied non-citizens is the right to vote and be voted for.

It should be noted that only the legal citizens and those that are citizens through naturalization are qualified to vote and be voted for in most democratic systems.

Constitutional Monarchy is the form of government in which the powers of the hereditary ruler are limited.

The power is stricity regulated by the constitution. The monarch can promulgate only the laws which are agreed to by the elected parliament. The monarch is bound to respect not only the letters of the constitution but also the laws of the state Britain is typical example of a constitutional monarchy.

The principle of Separation of Powers is intimately related to Checks and Balances. The authors of America's Constitution maintained that the three arms of governmental powers separate requires two device. In the first instance, no person must be allowed to serve in more than one arm or organ of government. There must be given a number of ''Checks'' by which the other branches can be kept in proper ''Balances'' hence the phrase ''Checks and Balances is therefore seen as one of the arguments in favour of separation of powers.

A crucial requirement for the successful conduct of elections is an independent electoral commission.

Other requirements are as follows:

1. Dividing the country into constituencies

2. Preparation of voters register

3. Secret Balloting

4. No intimidation of voters at the polls.

5. Impartiality of electoral officers

6. Proper counting of votes, etc.

Vote of confidence is basically a feature of the parliamentary system.

Other features are as follows:

1. The Head of State

2. The Head of Government

3. Fusion of power

4. Collective Responsibility

5. Existence of Opposition Party

6. Adequate Security arrangement

7. Public counting of votes.

A written constitution is distinguished by its cumbersome and complex amendment procedure.

Procedures for the amendment of the constitution are clearly stated and such procedures are often rigid.

One of the most essential characteristics of the state is sovereignty.

Other characteristics are as follows:

1. Population

2. Territory

3. Government

4. Recognition

5. Permanence.

Note that the supreme power to make laws and enforce it is with the state. The sovereignty of a state is not negotiable and must be free from external control.

In a federal system,the essence of specifying the constitutional relationship between the center and the constituent units is to avoid functional conflicts.

It was Sir Oliver Lyttleton Constitution 1954 that classified governmental powers into three-the Exclusive, the Concurrent and Residual Powers.

Exclusive Powers-matters where only the federal government can legislate.

Concurrent List-matters where both the federal governments governments can legislate.

Regional Powers-matters where only the Regional or State government legislate. Coming back to the Concurrent List, it should be noted that the federal government takes precedence in case of any conflict.