three Nigerian members of parliament stepped...

three Nigerian members of parliament stepped in to end years of political inertia over ending the death penalty in Africa's most populous nation, forcing a parliamentary debate and vote on an abolition bill. National Assembly officials still have to give a firm date for the first reading and debate of the private members' bill. But sources say the bill should be introduced for reading within the next three months. "Nobody can say when the bill will be debated until it is listed for debate. But I believe within the next few months action will start on the bill, and Nigeria is likely to join the ranks of abolitionist countries before 2010, the end of the tenure of the present House," said a National Assembly official, who declined to give his name for publication. The bill seeks to abolish the death penalty for crimes ranging from murder to armed robbery. The bill's chief sponsor, Friday Itulah, argued that Nigeria's death penalty laws failed to deliver on all three goals they were supposed to address: reformation, retribution and deterrence. Itulah and the bill's two other co-sponsors, Samson Osagie and Patrick Ikhariale, are members of the ruling People's Democratic Party.