President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately seek the discharge of a court order freezing an account belonging to the Osun State Government.
In a statement personally signed on Thursday, the President said although he respects the independence of anti-corruption agencies, he was compelled to intervene because of the timing of the action, coming just days before the Osun State governorship election.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He added: “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 President said the intervention became necessary because actions taken by federal institutions are ultimately attributed to him, whether or not he had prior knowledge of them.
“Every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me as President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action,” he stated.
Tinubu reiterated that since assuming office in May 2023, he has consistently allowed anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to carry out their statutory responsibilities without political interference.
“I have 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 governance and the rule of law,” he said.
The President, however, noted that although he was yet to receive the full details of the case, the timing of the EFCC’s action was “inauspicious.”
“Osun State is only a few days away from its governorship election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give the impression that the EFCC, or indeed any other agency of the Federal Government, is being used to interfere with the election,” he added.
The development follows allegations by Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke that the EFCC had frozen one of the state’s accounts domiciled in a commercial bank.
Speaking on Tuesday, Adeleke said the account, which is used to pay workers’ salaries, had been placed on a “Post No Debit” restriction by the anti-graft agency.
He also alleged that the EFCC was preparing to freeze the accounts of some senior officials of the state government.
“All I ask is for the EFCC chairman to explain to the good people of Osun State and Nigerians why he froze the Osun State Government account and provide evidence to justify the action. This and all other illegalities being visited on Osun are turning our democracy into a huge joke,” the governor said.
