By Palang Paul
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately vacate a court order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
Tinubu gave the directive in a statement issued from the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, August 6, 2026, days before the Osun State governorship election.
The President said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the timing of the EFCC’s action, stressing that actions by federal institutions are often attributed to his administration even when he has no prior knowledge of them.
He maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to perform their statutory duties independently, professionally and without political interference.
Tinubu said he had deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative or prosecutorial agencies because strong democratic institutions are essential to good governance and the rule of law.
However, the President said he was compelled to intervene because of the timing of the EFCC’s action, noting that Osun State was only a few days away from its governorship election.
According to him, the circumstances surrounding the freezing of the state government’s accounts could create the impression that the EFCC or another federal agency was being used to influence or interfere with the electoral process.
Tinubu said his directive was issued in the overriding public interest and to protect public confidence in the integrity, credibility and fairness of Nigeria’s democratic process.
He therefore ordered the EFCC to immediately return to court to seek the vacation of the freezing order and discontinue any action it had instituted against the Osun State Government in connection with the matter.
The President, however, noted that he had yet to be fully briefed on the facts that informed the EFCC’s decision to approach the court for the order.
The directive comes amid heightened political activity in Osun State ahead of the governorship election, placing the EFCC’s action under increased public scrutiny.
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