President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to approach the court and vacate the order freezing accounts belonging to the Osun State Government, saying the action should not create the impression of federal interference ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
In a State House statement issued on Thursday, the President said although the EFCC obtained the court order on August 5 as part of its statutory responsibilities, the timing was “inauspicious” given the proximity of the election. He stressed that while the anti-graft agency operates independently, actions by federal institutions are often perceived as reflecting the position of the Presidency.
Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to the independence of the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies, noting that he had deliberately avoided interfering in their operations. However, he said preserving public confidence in the credibility and fairness of the Osun governorship election made it necessary to direct the commission to seek the immediate vacation of the court order and discontinue the action against the state government.
The EFCC had earlier linked the account restriction to an ongoing investigation into the alleged diversion of public funds. The development comes ahead of the Osun State governorship election scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for August 15.
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