President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to immediately withdraw the court order authorising the freezing of the Osun State Government’s bank accounts, saying the timing of the action could undermine public confidence in the forthcoming governorship election.
The President gave the directive in a personally signed statement issued on Thursday, expressing concern that the anti-graft agency’s move, though backed by a valid court order, came at a politically sensitive period.
The EFCC had on August 5, 2026, secured a court order to freeze the accounts of the Osun State Government, barely days before the August 15 governorship election in which the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, is seeking re-election.
Tinubu said he was not questioning the EFCC’s statutory powers but was disturbed that the action could create the impression that federal institutions were being deployed to influence the electoral process.
“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.
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He noted that actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the Presidency, regardless of whether he was informed beforehand.
According to him, since assuming office, he has consistently resisted interfering in the operations of anti-corruption agencies, insisting that institutions must be allowed to function independently and professionally.
“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,” he stated.
Tinubu explained that although he was yet to receive a full briefing on the circumstances that led the EFCC to seek the court order, the proximity of the Osun governorship election made the timing inappropriate.
“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,” he said.
To safeguard the credibility of the electoral process, the President directed the commission to immediately return to court to reverse the order.
“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,” Tinubu declared.
