President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately approach the court to vacate an order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government.
The executive order, released in an official statement signed by the President from Aso Rock Villa on Thursday, August 6, follows mounting tension over the anti-graft agency’s court action secured on August 5.
It would be recalled that the EFCC had earlier obtained a court order to freeze the state’s financial accounts, citing investigations into suspected money laundering and the precipitate movement of public funds. However, the anti-graft agency’s action sparked severe public backlash and criticism from the Osun State Government, with stakeholders accusing the commission of acting on political motivation to destabilize the state administration just days ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
Expressing deep embarrassment over the development, President Tinubu explained that while federal anti-corruption agencies must maintain statutory independence, actions taken by state organs are inevitably attributed to his administration. He emphasized that maintaining public trust in the country’s democratic framework must take priority, particularly during an election season.
The President maintained that while he has not been fully briefed on the specific investigative facts prompting the EFCC’s legal filing, the proximity to the polls renders the move inauspicious. He reiterated that no action by federal law enforcement should create even the impression of political interference or selective targeting of state administrations ahead of an election.
Under the presidential directive, the EFCC is required to file an application before the issuing court to lift the restrictions on Osun State’s statutory financial accounts and discontinue related legal actions linked to the freeze.
