The authority of the state is collectively exercised by the _______

Analyze the question: The question asks which bodies together exercise the authority of the state. This is about the structure of government and the separation of powers.

Explain the concept: A state is a political community with a defined territory, a population, a government, and sovereignty. The state's authority is not held by one person or one institution. It is exercised through the three organs (arms) of government:

1. Executive – implements and enforces laws (the President, Governors, ministers and the civil service).
2. Legislature – makes laws (the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly).
3. Judiciary – interprets laws and settles disputes (the courts).

This is the idea behind the separation of powers, which Montesquieu popularised. Nigeria's 1999 Constitution divides power among these three arms.

Step-by-step evaluation of the options:

• A. Executive, legislative, judiciary – These are the three organs through which state authority is collectively exercised. ✔
• B. President, governor and chairman – These are all executive officeholders at the federal, state and local levels. They are only part of one arm, not the collective exercise of state authority. ✘
• C. Police, army and navy – These are security agencies. They are instruments of enforcement, not the arms of government. ✘
• D. Government, people and civil servants – This mixes unrelated categories. Civil servants are part of the executive arm, and "the people" are the source of sovereignty in a democracy, not an organ of state authority. ✘

Answer: The word "collectively" points to the three arms working together, so the correct option is A.

Tip: When you see "organs/arms of government" in a question, think "Make, Apply, Interpret": the Legislature makes laws, the Executive applies them, and the Judiciary interprets them. Also remember that "collectively" in a question usually points to a group of institutions rather than individual officeholders.