President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately take steps to vacate a court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying he feels “deeply embarrassed” by the timing of the agency’s action ahead of the state’s governorship election.
In a State House statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said he became aware that the EFCC had secured a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the state’s accounts.
The President stressed that while he supports the independence of anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies, the timing of the action could create the impression that the Federal Government was attempting to influence the Osun governorship election.
“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,” Tinubu said, noting that actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to him, even when he has no prior knowledge of them.
Tinubu reiterated that he has consistently refrained from interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative agencies, maintaining that they must perform their statutory responsibilities independently and professionally.
However, he said the proximity of the Osun governorship election made it necessary for him to intervene in the overriding public interest and to preserve confidence in the integrity and fairness of the democratic process.
According to the statement, the President directed the EFCC to immediately approach the court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue all actions instituted against the Osun State Government in relation to the matter.
The directive follows the EFCC’s decision to freeze the state’s accounts over an investigation into the alleged diversion of about ₦11 billion in public funds. The action had generated widespread reactions, with critics arguing that its timing, coming days before the August 15 governorship election, could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
