President Bola 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.
In a personally signed statement on Thursday, Tinubu said he was embarrassed by the development because actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the presidency, even when he has no prior knowledge of them.
He said although the anti-graft agency acted within its statutory powers by obtaining a court order, the timing of the action, days before the August 15 governorship election in Osun, was inappropriate.
“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,” he said.
“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 he has consistently allowed anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to carry out their responsibilities independently, without fear, favour or political interference.
He added that his administration remains committed to strengthening institutions and allowing them to operate within the confines of the law.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He noted that no action should create the impression that any federal agency is being used to influence the outcome of the forthcoming governorship election.
“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 said he had directed the EFCC to immediately return to court to vacate the order freezing the state’s accounts and discontinue the action.
“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.
BACKGROUND
On Wednesday, the EFCC said it froze the state government’s bank accounts over the alleged fraudulent handling of funds.
The anti-graft agency said it had been investigating the government since March, adding that some officials, including the accountant-general, had been interviewed by its investigators.
The commission said it observed huge transfers from the accounts into different corporate entities since August 2 amid the probe.
But in a statement on Thursday, Kolapo Alimi, commissioner for information and public enlightenment, faulted the EFCC’s account, describing it as an attempt to cover up an illegal action through unfounded allegations.
“The real reason the commission froze the state account on the order of Gboyega Oyetola was to stop the payment of palliatives which the state government promised the workers some months ago,” Alimi said.
The development comes amid rising political tension in the state ahead of the governorship election slated for August 15.
Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, is seeking re-election for a second term on the platform of the Accord Party.
In recent weeks, the state has witnessed heated exchanges of verbal attacks between the governor’s supporters and those of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is seeking to reclaim the state after four years.
The governor’s camp has accused the APC of using federal government agencies, including the police and the EFCC, to intimidate Accord Party supporters ahead of the poll. The APC has since denied the claims
