ICYMI: Tinubu orders EFCC to vacate court order freezing Osun Government accounts

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately vacate the court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, citing the need to preserve public confidence in the credibility and fairness of the state’s forthcoming governorship election.

The President’s directive was contained in a statement personally signed by him on Thursday.

Earlier, Newpost Africa reported that the anti-financial corruption agency froze the Osun State Government’s accounts as part of what it described as an ongoing investigation into the alleged diversion of about ₦11 billion in public funds, including Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations.

Reacting to the development, President Tinubu said he was deeply embarrassed, not by the EFCC’s decision to exercise its statutory mandate, but by the timing of the action.

According to him, actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the Presidency, regardless of whether he had prior knowledge or involvement.

“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,” the President said.

Tinubu reiterated his longstanding position that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies should be allowed to discharge their constitutional responsibilities independently, professionally and without political interference.

He said his administration has consistently refrained from interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative agencies because of its commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law.

“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,” he stated.

The President explained that although he had not been fully briefed on the circumstances that prompted the EFCC to seek the court order, he believed the timing of the action was inappropriate given the proximity of the Osun State governorship election.

He stressed that no action by any federal institution should create the impression that the Federal Government was attempting to influence the electoral process.

“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,” he said.

Tinubu noted that preserving public confidence in democratic institutions remains a paramount responsibility of his administration.

He said that in the overriding public interest and to protect the integrity, credibility and fairness of the electoral process, he had directed the anti-graft agency to immediately return to court to vacate the order freezing the state’s accounts.

“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,” the President said.

He reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening democratic institutions while ensuring that the operations of government agencies do not undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

The Osun State governorship election is scheduled to hold in the coming days.