EXPOSED: Why Oshiomhole signed death warrants [FULL STORY]

Date Posted: 29/06/2013

Edo State Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Henry William Idahagbon, has thrown more light on reasons why Governor Adams Oshiomhole signed death warrants in the state.
The Attorney-General said that all states governments in the country have the constitutional obligation to sign death warrants, saying that any governor who refuses to sign death warrant already confirmed by the courts of law could be sued for neglecting a constitutional responsibility.
He maintained that realization of this constitutional obligation made Governor Oshiomhole signed death warrants in the state. Idahagbon made this clarification in his office when members of the civil society organizations visited him to explore ways of halting death penalty for convicted criminals.
The Africa Network on Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), led by its Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor, had protested the hanging of three convicted criminals, Messrs Daniel Nsofor, Osarenmwinda Aigbokhian and Chima Ejiofor to the commissioner.
But Idahagbon explained that Governor Oshiomhole, like any other state governor in the country, has the obligation to sign death warrant as failure to do so could result in litigation against him in accordance with the provisions of the law.
The commissioner urged the activists and their ilk in Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Legal Defence and Advocacy Project (LEDAP) to take their protests to the National Assembly, which has the power to expunge death sentence from Nigerian laws.
Meanwhile, notable lawyers in the country have backed the Governor Oshiomhole for signing the convicts’ death warrant. Among those who backed the governor are former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, and Law teacher, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Alhaji Yusuf Alli (SAN) and West Africa Bar Association President, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN).