The Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has granted state pardon to three condemned prisoners on death row in the state.
The governor commuted the death sentence of the three condemned prisoners who were awaiting execution to life imprisonment.
Twelve other convicted prisoners serving various jail terms across prison facilities in the state also benefitted from the governor’s gesture.
While charging them to make good use of the opportunity and turn a new leaf, Akeredolu admonished them to desist from acts capable of seeing them back to prison.
According to a statement issued and signed by Segun Ajiboye, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Akeredolu approved the granting of pardon to the convicts in commemoration of the New Year, which he said is within the governor’s power of Prerogative of Mercy as enshrined in Section 212(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
The statement reads, “Ondo state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, in exercise of the power conferred on him by Section 212(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is pleased to extend his grace and mercy to 12 prisoners who have served various terms of their imprisonment and orders their release from the prison custody.
“He asks the beneficiaries of the gesture to always shun acts that can likely return them to the prison.
“Likewise, Arakunrin Akeredolu extends his grace and mercy to three condemned/convicted prisoners who are awaiting execution.
“The governor’s gesture commutes the death sentence of the condemned three prisoners to life imprisonment.
“Arakunrin Akeredolu exercises the power in the spirit of the 2019 New Year celebration,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, in his new year message, Akeredolu tasked Nigerians to give more to the country in order to achieve the desired result.
In a statement by his CPS, the governor called for cooperation from the citizens with government, stating that the best is yet to come for the country.
“Akeredolu asks Nigerians to continue to love one another and promote societal common good by making sacrifice for a better and peaceful Nigeria their utmost priority.
“The governor, who expresses his belief that only the best is good for Nigerians, advises them to cooperate with the government to enable it to deliver on its avowed promise to transform the country and its people,” the statement read.
Comments