President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately take steps to vacate the court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, citing concerns over the timing of the action ahead of the state’s governorship election.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the President said although he respects the independence of anti-corruption agencies, he believes the EFCC’s action, coming just days before the August 15 governorship election, could create the impression that the Federal Government is attempting to influence the electoral process.
Tinubu said he became aware that the EFCC obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, authorising the freezing of the state’s accounts.
“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. 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,” he said.
The President noted that actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to him, regardless of whether he had prior knowledge of them.
“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.
Tinubu reiterated his commitment to preserving the operational independence of anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies, stressing that he has consistently avoided interfering in their investigations or prosecutions.
“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,” the statement read.
He added that his administration remains committed to allowing government institutions to perform their legal responsibilities without requiring presidential approval for their actions.
However, the President said he was convinced that the timing of the EFCC’s action was inappropriate, even though he had not yet been fully briefed on the circumstances that informed the agency’s decision to seek the court order.
“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,” he said.
Tinubu warned that no action should be taken that could undermine public confidence in the credibility of the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.
“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 stated.
The President said his decision was taken in the overriding public interest and to protect the integrity and fairness of Nigeria’s democratic process.
“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 said.
