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President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately return to court and vacate the order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
The President explained that this directive is necessary to protect public confidence in the democratic process, pointing out that the state is only days away from its governorship election.
In a statement issued through the State House on Thursday, Tinubu stated that he does not oppose the EFCC exercising its statutory powers, but expressed serious concern regarding the timing of the action.
“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,” the statement partly read.
“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.
The EFCC had earlier secured the order as part of an investigation into alleged financial infractions involving the Osun State Government, defending its actions as legal and within its authority to place temporary restrictions on accounts.
Tinubu noted that federal institutional actions are routinely credited to him as President, regardless of whether he has prior knowledge.
“This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action,” he stated.
Reiterating his commitment since taking office, the President emphasized that law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies must operate independently and free from political interference.
“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference,” Tinubu said.
He added that he deliberately avoided interfering in operational activities to uphold strong democratic institutions.
“I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because 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 noted.
Although yet to be fully briefed on the exact facts that led the EFCC to seek the court order, Tinubu stated that the timing required his immediate intervention.
“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,” the President said.
He underscored that the close proximity of the election makes it vital to avoid actions that could cast doubt on 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 added.
Stating that the directive serves the overriding public interest, Tinubu ordered the commission to halt the action against the state government.
“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,” the statement concluded.
This development follows an ongoing dispute where the Osun State Government dismissed allegations of misappropriating N11bn, while the EFCC insisted that its investigations are entirely professional and free of political motivations ahead of the election.
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