Observation

This was a popular question and was attempted by most of the candidates.   The performance of the candidates who attempted it was good as they really understood its demands. However, some candidates did not do well by writing features of cabinet system of government instead of presidential system of government. The candidates were expected to provide the following answers to the question.

(a)           This is a political arrangement where all Executive powers within the state,                         both ceremonial and real, are vested in one person known as the president.
For example:   President of Nigeria, the United States of America, etc.

(b)

1. The President is the Head of State and Government.
2. He is the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces.
3. He is directly elected by the electorate nationwide because he has the whole country as his constituency.
4. He is elected for a fixed term and can only be removed through impeachment by the Legislature.
5. The President appoints members of his executive and anywhere – within and outside his own political party.
6. The Members of Executives are individually responsible to his and he can remove any of them from his cabinet.
7. The appointment of the cabinet members requires the confirmation of the Upper House of the Legislature (Senate) and must satisfy certain criteria:  geographical spread, religion, qualification, sex age, etc.
8. There is separation of powers in terms of membership and composition.  Members of the Executive are not members of the Legislature.
9. The system does not recognize an official opposition party in the House.
10. The principles of checks and balances are applied in this system.

                        The President has wide range of influence in the appointments of key officials                   of the state e.g. ambassadors/high commissioners, key command positions in               the uniformed services, etc.