The Sokoto State government declared that the Federal...

The Sokoto State government declared that the Federal Government can not change the judgement of death sentence by stoning [for adultery] passed on Hajiya Safiyatu Husseini by the Gwadabawa Upper Sharia Court.
The State Attorney-General, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar Saina, said on a Voice of America (VOA) Hausa service programme monitored in Abuja, that in as much as the judgement was legal, there was no way the Federal Government could stop the court's ruling.
He disagreed with the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige who was credited with the statement that the Federal Government would not allow the Sokoto State government to execute the adulteress. According to him, Chief Bola Ige's statement is a violation of the Nigerian constitution.
"We didn't have any discussions with the Federal Ministry of Justice on the issue. This is due to the fact that it is unconstitutional for the federal government to interfere in the matter. It will amount to an abuse of court process and a violation of Nigerian constitution," Alhaji Aliyu maintained.
"Nobody can officially dismiss the judgement except a Court of Appeal or Supreme Court, since the person found guilty of committing the said offence has a right to appeal up to the last stage. Whoever is opposed to the death sentence can appeal," he added.
Husseini has since appealed against the conviction over the allegation of adultery brought against her according to Sharia law. Her counsel, Barrister Abdulkadir Ibrahim has also applied for a stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal.