President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to vacate a court order freezing Osun State Government accounts, citing concerns about the timing of the action just days before the state’s gubernatorial election.
In a press release signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President acknowledged that while the EFCC acted within its mandate and obtained a valid court order, the proximity to the election risked creating the impression of federal interference.
“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,” Tinubu stated.
The EFCC had secured the freeze order on August 5, 2026, against Osun State Government accounts. Details of the alleged infractions remain unclear.
Tinubu said he had not been fully briefed on the facts behind the EFCC’s action but felt compelled to intervene to preserve public confidence in the electoral process.
“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,” he said.
The directive marks a rare presidential intervention in an ongoing EFCC investigation, underscoring Tinubu’s insistence that federal agencies must avoid actions that could be construed as meddling in state elections.
