EFCC vs Osun Govt: Tinubu Wades In, Orders EFCC to Vacate Court Order Freezing Osun Government Accounts
By Raphael Ekpang
Abuja (Core Reporters) – In what appears to be a move to ensure that the votes of the electorate in Osun State count in the August 15 governorship election, and to halt what some have described as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) overreach against the sitting governor of the state, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the anti-graft agency to immediately take steps to vacate the court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government.
The President cited concerns over the timing of the action and its potential impact on public confidence in the forthcoming governorship election.
In a statement issued on Thursday from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Tinubu said he was deeply embarrassed by the timing of the EFCC’s action, stressing that although the anti-graft agency acted pursuant to a court order obtained on August 5, 2026, every action taken by a federal institution is ultimately attributed to the President.
Tinubu reiterated that since assuming office, he has consistently allowed anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to operate independently, professionally, and without political interference.
He said he had deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative agencies because he believes that strong democratic institutions operating within the law are essential to good governance and the rule of law.
The President, however, noted that while he had yet to be fully briefed on the circumstances that led the EFCC to seek the court order, he considered the timing of the action “inauspicious,” given that Osun State is only days away from its governorship election.
According to him, no action should create the impression that the EFCC or any other federal agency is being used to influence or interfere with the electoral process.
“In the overriding public interest of preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard,” the President stated.
Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding the independence of government institutions while ensuring that their actions do not undermine Nigeria’s democratic process or public trust in the conduct of free and fair elections.
