President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately take steps to vacate the court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government.
The President gave the directive on Thursday, saying the action was necessary to safeguard public confidence in Nigeria's democratic process as the Osun State governorship election draws near.
In a statement issued by the State House, Tinubu clarified that he was not questioning the statutory powers of the anti-graft agency but expressed concern over the timing of the court order, which was secured on August 5 as part of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving the state government.
According to the President, although the EFCC acted within its legal mandate by obtaining the court order, the timing of the action could create the impression that federal institutions were being used to influence the forthcoming governorship election.
Tinubu noted that, as President, actions taken by federal agencies are often attributed to him, regardless of whether he had prior knowledge or involvement. He reiterated his longstanding position that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must operate independently, professionally, and without political interference.
He explained that since assuming office, he had deliberately refrained from directing the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative agencies because of his commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and upholding the rule of law.
However, the President said the proximity of the Osun governorship election made it imperative to intervene in the interest of protecting the credibility and fairness of the electoral process.
Tinubu stressed that no action should be taken by any federal institution that could undermine public confidence or suggest that government agencies were being used to influence the outcome of the election.
Consequently, he directed the EFCC to immediately return to court to vacate the order freezing the state's accounts and discontinue the action against the Osun State Government in that regard.
The development follows a disagreement between the EFCC and the Osun State Government over the account freeze. While the commission maintained that its investigation into alleged financial misconduct was lawful and not politically motivated, the state government denied allegations of misappropriation of ₦11 billion and accused the agency of attempting to justify its action.
The President's intervention comes just days before the Osun governorship election, amid heightened public attention on the conduct of government institutions and their role in ensuring a transparent and credible electoral process.
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