Tinubu Orders EFCC to Unfreeze Osun Government Account Ahead of Governorship Election

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately approach the court to vacate the order freezing the Osun State Government’s account, saying he was uncomfortable with the timing of the action ahead of the state’s governorship election.

The directive followed widespread controversy after the anti-graft agency froze the state’s Federal Statutory Allocation Account just days before voters head to the polls.

According to a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu also personally called Governor Ademola Adeleke to inform him of the decision.

The President stressed that although he supports the independence of anti-corruption agencies, the timing of the EFCC’s action could create the impression that federal institutions were interfering in 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,” Tinubu said.

He added that he had deliberately avoided interfering in the operations of investigative agencies since assuming office but considered it necessary to intervene in the overriding public interest.

“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.”

Osun Government Welcomes Intervention

The Osun State Government described the President’s directive as a victory for the rule of law.

Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, praised Tinubu for responding to public concerns, saying the state was never opposed to legitimate investigations but rejected arbitrary actions.

“We give kudos to the President for listening to voices of reason. What he has done is a triumph for the rule of law,” Alimi said.

He also urged the President to address what he described as the harassment of opposition members by security agencies ahead of the election.

Governor Adeleke Sues EFCC

Despite the presidential intervention, Governor Adeleke has filed a N2 billion suit against the EFCC at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The suit challenges the freezing of the state’s Federal Statutory Allocation Account, arguing that the commission acted outside its constitutional powers.

The Osun State Government is asking the court to declare the account restriction unlawful, nullify the freezing order, and award N2 billion as exemplary damages for what it described as unlawful interference with public funds.

EFCC Defends Action

The EFCC has insisted that its action was lawful and based on intelligence gathered during an investigation into the alleged diversion of N11 billion in ecological funds, intervention funds and Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations.

The commission maintained that only one account was temporarily restricted after suspicious transactions were detected.

EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren explained that the restriction was intended to preserve the account while investigations continued.

According to him, the commission has the legal authority under the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act to temporarily restrict an account for up to 72 hours before obtaining a court order if necessary.

Opposition Criticises EFCC, Presidency

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the timing of the account freeze, describing it as an assault on democracy and warning against the use of anti-corruption agencies to influence elections.

He argued that freezing a state’s operational account just days before an election could disrupt governance and create an atmosphere of intimidation.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) also criticised the President’s intervention, arguing that it undermined repeated claims that the EFCC operates independently of the Presidency.

According to the party, if the President can direct the commission to withdraw a court action because of political considerations, it raises questions about the agency’s operational independence.

An ADC House of Assembly candidate in Lagos, Ayodele Adio, also questioned the Presidency’s claim that the EFCC would vacate a court order, insisting that only a competent court has the authority to set aside its own orders.

As political debate intensifies ahead of the Osun governorship election, the dispute has sparked renewed discussions over the balance between anti-corruption enforcement, institutional independence and electoral fairness.