By Mercy Peter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately return to court to vacate an order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the timing of the action, coming just days before the August 15 governorship election, could undermine public confidence in the credibility of the electoral process.
In a personally signed statement issued from the Presidential Villa on Thursday, the President said he became aware that the anti-graft agency had secured a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
While emphasizing that the EFCC acted in pursuant to its statutory powers and a valid court order, Tinubu said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the timing of the development, noting that actions taken by federal institutions are often perceived by the public as having presidential approval, regardless of whether he was informed beforehand.
The President reiterated his long standing policy of allowing anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to operate independently without political interference.
He said that since assuming office, he had deliberately refrained from directing the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative agencies because of his belief that democratic institutions must function professionally, independently and strictly within the ambit of the law.
According to him, strong institutions remain essential to democratic governance, accountability and the rule of law.
Tinubu, however, said the circumstances surrounding the freezing of the Osun government’s accounts required presidential intervention because of the sensitive political environment in the state ahead of the governorship election.
The President explained that although he had not yet been fully briefed on the facts that informed the EFCC’s application for the court order, he considered the timing “inauspicious.”
He warned that no action should create the impression that any federal institution, particularly the EFCC, was being deployed to influence or interfere with the democratic process in Osun State.
“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,” the President stated.
Tinubu said preserving public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions remained a paramount responsibility of his administration, stressing that maintaining the integrity, credibility and fairness of elections outweighed any action capable of generating political suspicion at such a critical period.
Consequently, he directed the EFCC to immediately approach the court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue the legal action instituted against the Osun State Government in relation to the matter.
The directive comes barely a day after Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke publicly alleged that the EFCC was planning to freeze the state’s accounts ahead of the August 15 governorship election, a move the governor described as an attempt to destabilize his administration before the polls.
President Tinubu’s intervention is expected to ease mounting political tension in the state, where preparations for the governorship election have intensified.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already completed several stages of its election preparations, including the deployment of over 5,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices and additional backup units to ensure a smooth conduct of the poll.
