The institution of government that interprets laws made by the legislature is

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which institution of government interprets the laws made by the legislature. The key word is "interprets."

Step 2: Explain the concept In a democracy, power is shared among three arms of government under the principle of separation of powers:

| Arm | Function | |---|---| | Legislature | Makes laws (e.g., the National Assembly in Nigeria) | | Executive | Implements or enforces laws (e.g., the President, Governors, Ministers) | | Judiciary | Interprets laws and settles disputes (e.g., the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Courts) |

Step 3: Work through the options

• A. Executive: It enforces and implements laws, so this is not correct.
• B. Legislature: It makes the laws. It does not interpret them, so this is not correct.
• C. Judiciary: Judges and courts interpret the meaning of laws, decide how they apply to specific cases, and can declare actions unconstitutional. This is correct.
• D. Senators: These are members of the legislature (the Senate), not an institution of government, so this is not correct.

Step 4: Answer The institution that interprets laws made by the legislature is the judiciary, which is option C.

Exam tip: Remember the pattern "Make, Enforce, Interpret", matched to Legislature, Executive, Judiciary. Whenever you see the words interpret, adjudicate, or settle disputes, think judiciary.