Azinge urges NASS to abrogate death penalty

[PeoplesDaily]

By Umar Muhammad Puma

Director General of Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN), yesterday called on the National Assembly to commence the process of repealing the death penalty in Nigeria's laws.

Azinge also called on the NASS to legislate for the justiciability of chapter two of the 1999 Constitution so as to ensure that all the rights enshrined in the chapter for the citizenry are guaranteed.

The NIALS team made their proposals at a courtesy call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, yesterday.

"We the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies seek an abrogation of the death penalty in all our laws. It's a matter of despair to hear that people still clamour for death penalty in the states", Azinge said.

He however noted that the National Assembly despite its efforts in the direction of lawmaking in the last two years, needed more capacity building in the area of legislative drafting.

He acknowledged that though "there is an National Institute of Legislative Studies", the NIALS, also has as part of its mandate to build capacity on legislative drafting.

He also regretted that though the House is prolific with bills, "Some of the legislations are not evidence-based", as he disclosed that "The institute has done extensive work on chapter two to make it justiciable" and that "We only want to add our voices to what the National Assembly is already doing".

Tambuwal told the visiting team that the House was already in the process of abrogating some "archaic laws" and has even "restructured the Committee on Justice" to carry out the assignment.

"As we embark on the review of archaic laws, we would appreciate your efforts in helping the Committee on Justice with their work.

"We call on you to help the Committee on Justice to amend these outdated laws."

The post Azinge urges NASS to abrogate death penalty appeared first on Peoples Daily Newspaper, Nigeria.

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[Folami David]

Well whoever made the law should just break them anyways. If Nigerians aint alright with it then it can be changed.