- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to lift the order freezing the account of Osun State Government.
This is coming hours after the anti-graft agency imposed Post No Debit on the state government’s account domiciled with First Bank, barring withdrawal and transfer from the account.
EFCC had in a statement issued on Wednesday evening cited investigation on alleged misappropriation Federal Allocation by the Adeleke administration as reason behind the decision.
The development had since sparked public outrage with Tinubu called out over what was considered an intimidation of the Ademola Adeleke-led administration by the All Progressives Congress ahead of the August 15 Governorship Election.
Reacting in a personal statement issued on Thursday, Tinubu expressed disappointment over the EFCC’s action as he faulted the timing of the account freezing.
The President distanced himself from the development, stressing that he had no prior knowledge about it.
‘It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
‘I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action.
‘This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.
‘Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference.
‘I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law.’ He said.
Tinubu held that he had overtime given institutions to function without his interference.
He however slammed the EFCC over the decision to freeze the Osun state government’s account as he reiterated being unaware of the decision.
‘As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval.
‘Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers.
‘While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene.’ He said.
Tinubu maintained that the EFCC or any other agency of the federal government is not supposed to be used to give an impression of partisanship considering that the Osun election is few days away.
He thereafter directed the anti-graft agency to vacate the directive and discontinue any further action against the state government.
‘Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election.
‘Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process.
‘Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard.’ He said.