Oshiomhole: why condemned men must die Posted by: Wale Ajetunmobi Posted date: November 05, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 29 eDO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has defended his decision to sign the execution warrants of two condemned men. The governor signed the sentence few weeks ago. He said the convicts should die in the interest of the society because they committed offences the law forbids. Oshiomhole said he was not afraid to sign the execution warrants of those found guilty of murder by competent courts. The governor said he subscribed to an oath of office compelling him to obey the Constitution and its laws without fear. He said: “I have no apologies because I did not sentence them to death. I am not the one who accused them; they were accused by those they harassed. They have been tried, they have taken advantage of the appellate courts all the way to the Supreme Court and they were found guilty. The law also says having been found guilty and sentenced to death, the governor could exercise prerogative of mercy. But I say that I have no mercy on those who kill. Why should you compel me to have mercy on those who kill?” Oshiomhole criticised the Amnesty International for what he described as the self-righteous stance of the body. He noted that the history of the countries where the organisation emerged should tell discerning minds that Amnesty International does not have superior values. He said: “In this battle of values, we must not behave as if some other people’s values are superior to ours. If you feel that those who kill in your country should have right to life and we believe in our country that those who kill should be killed and those are reflected in our laws, until you reverse those laws, those laws will apply. “If you tell me that the man killed and has a right to life, I refuse that. Amnesty should not be hypocritical about it, we have the records worldwide. Nations are governed by their national values and it is debatable whether those who excuse murderers in the eyes of God are better human beings than those who insist that if you kill, you too should be killed if found guilty of killing. “I don’t believe that those who want to excuse murderers are on a higher moral ground. It is not about conviction but about whether I choose to exercise prerogative of mercy. God can have mercy on them, but I am unable having regard to the overall circumstances of the case, which are killing and dismembering the body of the victim and wanting to sell some of the parts. And some people ask me in the name of human rights to let him live. No! If those saying that were to be victims of such brutality, they would also think otherwise. It is very convenient for them to sit in the comfort of their offices and pontificate about human rights, as if the rights of the victims are not supposed to be taken into account.” Source: The Nation