the following is part of an editorial written by Udo Jude Ilo, coordinator of...

the following is part of an editorial written by Udo Jude Ilo, coordinator of Secretariat of Nigerian Coalition on Death Penalty Abolition: The [Nigerian] States and the Federal Government share concurrent powers in the creation of crime and punishment.
The provisions of section 4(9) of the Constitution further heighten this stand. Thus the State can choose whether to implement or not to implement death penalty. Section 33 of the Constitution, which provides for the right to life only allows a derogation of that right following a competent order of court and does not in any way compel the application of death penalty.
Thus a state that removes death penalty from its statute books in respect of state offences does not run foul of any constitutional or substantive provisions. In line with this reasoning, the abolition of death penalty is not the exclusive preserve of the federal Government.
The States can abolish its application in their locality. That in my view will be an adequate answer to the demands of our diversity.