Nigerian presidents are like monarchs, it’s hard to unseat them— Rufai Oseni

Oseni Rufai, Arise Television journalist, says the
presidency in Nigeria is similar to a monarchy and cannot be questioned.

He made the remark while speaking on 90Minutes Africa, an
online TV show hosted by Rudolf Okonkwo and Chido Onumah.

Rufai said it is important for the judiciary to conclude
election petitions before the May 29 handover, adding that the incumbent has an
unfair advantage afterwards.

The broadcaster said this in response to the question of
what would happen if Bola Tinubu is inaugurated while his electoral victory
still faces legal challenges.

 “Go and read the
constitution of Nigeria. The Nigerian president is a monarchy,” he said.

“Every Nigerian president has always assumed it. Once he is sworn
in, he assumes monarchical powers.

“A Nigerian president is like what the Yoruba calls
‘kabiyesi’. You can hardly question him.

 “And that’s why
people should also be active in terms of not politics alone but also in matters
of constitutional reform.

“I thought that was going to make a lot of Nigerians protest
on the streets but a lot of them didn’t get it.

“And that’s why we need to give this information to
Nigerians that a president is saying nobody can question me. And even the
national assembly, the representative of the people cannot question me.”

Rufai said the country has failed to comply with the Justice
Muhammed Uwais report of 2007 which recommended that election petitions should
be concluded before the swearing in of a new government.

 “The Uwais reports in
2007 talked about every election litigation must be completed before the swearing
in of the candidates. And the argument in the report was that it gives an
unfair advantage to the incumbency once a candidate is sworn in,” he said.

Tinubu, standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress
(APC), was declared the winner of the presidential election held on February
25.

He secured 8,794,726 votes, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) had 6,984,520, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP)
polled 6,101,533.

Both Obi and Atiku filed their petitions between March 21
and 22. However, the tribunal is yet to commence the hearing.