President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to vacate the court order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
The directive was contained in a State House statement issued on Wednesay August 5.
The President expressed embarrassment over the timing of the agency’s action. He noted that every action taken by a federal institution is credited to him, even when he has no prior knowledge.
“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 reaffirmed his commitment to allowing anti-corruption agencies to operate independently. He said he has deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in their operational activities.
“I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law,” he stated.
However, the President said the timing of the EFCC’s action compelled him to intervene. Osun State is days away from its gubernatorial election.
“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.
The President ordered the EFCC to proceed to court immediately to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government.
The directive was issued in the overriding public interest of preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of the democratic process.
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Background
The EFCC obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. The action came just days before the state’s gubernatorial election, scheduled to hold on Saturday.
The agency has not publicly disclosed the reasons for the account freeze. The Osun State Government has not yet issued a formal response to the President’s directive.
