Tinubu Steps In: Osun State Accounts Unfrozen as EFCC Faces Scrutiny

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze the Osun State Government’s statutory allocation account on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, citing an investigation into alleged fraudulent transfers of N11 billion ecological and intervention funds into a private account. This action, taken just days before a critical governorship election in the state, ignited widespread concern and condemnation from various political figures and legal bodies, who questioned the timing and motives behind the move.

The Osun State Government vehemently denied the EFCC's allegations of N11 billion looting. Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, dismissed the claim as an attempt to justify an unlawful action. The state government insisted there was no financial misconduct and accused the anti-graft agency of acting on the directive of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola to frustrate the payment of palliatives to workers. Alimi further stated that despite the account freeze, the government successfully disbursed palliatives following negotiations with labour unions and that state resources were being utilized for infrastructure, worker welfare, and development. The Osun State Government also initiated legal proceedings against the EFCC, challenging the freezing of its accounts as unlawful interference.

The EFCC, in its defense, stated that it was not targeting anyone but simply performing its job, citing similar interventions in other states like Edo, where N12 billion was reportedly preserved from suspicious transfers. The agency's Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, clarified that Ekiti State's accounts were not frozen during its governorship election because there was no incriminating information against it. The EFCC maintained that its action was taken to preserve funds pending the conclusion of its investigation and denied acting on political instructions.

However, presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) expressed grave concerns. Atiku described the EFCC’s action as a “reckless assault on democracy,” questioning the neutrality of state institutions and the timing, which he feared could undermine public confidence and disrupt governance, including salary payments and essential public services. He called for an immediate reversal, warning against the perceived weaponization of state institutions against opposition-controlled states. Peter Obi echoed these sentiments, asserting that anti-graft efforts should not be instruments of political intimidation and that the timing of the freeze, if investigations had been ongoing for months, was suspicious and created an impression of influencing the electoral process. He emphasized that democratic institutions must not only be impartial but must also be seen to be impartial, and that any wrongdoing should follow constitutional procedures with appropriate court orders.

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, an ADC chieftain, further criticized the EFCC, highlighting what he perceived as glaring double standards, referencing past allegations against former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike where no similar urgent action was taken. He warned that selective justice disguised as law enforcement erodes public trust and urged the EFCC to act transparently and impartially, investigating all corruption allegations regardless of political affiliation.

Adding a legal perspective, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), through its outgoing president Afam Osigwe, declared that the EFCC has no power to unilaterally freeze the bank accounts of a state government. Osigwe stated that such an order is unconstitutional and violates the anti-graft agency’s powers, capable of grounding government activities. He maintained that if the EFCC suspects fraud, it must obtain a proper court order based on a solid foundation.

In a significant development, President Bola Tinubu intervened, directing the EFCC to immediately vacate the court order and discontinue its action against the Osun State Government. In a statement, President Tinubu expressed deep embarrassment, not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate, but by the timing of the action. He explained that every federal action is attributed to him, and the timing, just days before the gubernatorial election, created an inauspicious impression of federal interference in the electoral process. While reiterating his commitment to allowing anti-corruption agencies to discharge their responsibilities independently, he felt compelled to intervene in the overriding public interest of preserving public confidence, integrity, credibility, and fairness of the democratic process. He therefore ordered the EFCC to proceed to court to vacate the order and discontinue legal action.