President Bola Tinubu has expressed embarrassment over the timing of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) decision to freeze the Osun State Government’s bank accounts.
Tinubu said although the anti-graft agency acted within its legal mandate, the move has been widely attributed to him as president despite his lack of prior knowledge.
The EFCC had, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said it froze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds under investigation.
Tinubu, in a statement on Thursday, said he had no objection to the EFCC carrying out its statutory responsibilities through a valid court order, but insisted that the timing of the action, coming just days before the Osun State governorship election, was inappropriate and risked undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
The president noted: “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. 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.”
Tinubu reiterated his commitment to the independence of anti-corruption agencies, stressing that he has consistently refrained from interfering in the operations of the EFCC and other law enforcement bodies because strong institutions are essential to democracy and the rule of law.
He said: “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.
Tinubu orders EFCC to unfreeze Osun govt accounts ahead of guber poll
“I have therefore 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 good governance and the rule of law.”
The president, therefore, directed the EFCC to immediately return to court to vacate the order and discontinue all proceedings relating to the freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts.
Tinubu added: “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.
“Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our 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.”
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