Residents of Osun State have reacted to President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday to return to court and vacate the order freezing the state government’s account.
The directive came less than two weeks to the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
Access to one of the state government’s statutory allocation accounts had been blocked by the EFCC as part of an investigation into alleged financial improprieties.
In a statement issued by the State House, Tinubu said he had learnt that the EFCC had obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
The President said in the statement that he was “deeply embarrassed not by the exercise of the mandate by the EFCC backed by a court order, but by the timing of the action by the agency”, because of the closeness of the governorship election.
“Osun State is just a few days away from its gubernatorial election. “Consequently, nothing should be done to create the impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the Federal Government is being used to interfere with the election.
Tinubu later 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”.
The President also pointed to the need for anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to be given the space to perform their statutory functions independently and professionally without political interference.
“I have therefore consciously avoided directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, working within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law,” he said.
The development has generated reactions across Osun with residents centering largely on the possible impact of the account restriction on payment of salaries, public services and other government obligations.
A trader, Tajudeen Babatunde, said the development was untimely and could be seen as part of the witch-hunt which Governor Ademola Adeleke has been alleging as part of campaign to illegally unseat him.
He said the President’s intervention came at a time but some damage had been done that may affect the electoral integrity of the nation.
The issue has drawn more attention from civil servants as the account said to have been affected is the state’s statutory allocation account which the state government had earlier challenged the restriction on in court.
Tayo Adeyinka, a civil servant, said the action was unwarranted at this time.
“The EFCC action is not necessary. Why, at this time, freeze a state government account? “The EFCC should be aware that the action will affect civil servants and to a generality a majority of the citizens of Osun,” he said.
The Osun State Government had dragged the EFCC before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking N2 billion in exemplary and aggravated damages over the restriction of the account.
The plaintiffs named were Governor Ademola Adeleke, the state Attorney-General and the Accountant-General while the EFCC, its chairman and First Bank Nigeria Limited were named as defendants in the suit.
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The EFCC had maintained that its action was tied to an ongoing probe into alleged suspicious transactions and the management of some N11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee funds.
The probe was launched in March, the commission said.
The commission said it had not frozen all of the state’s accounts, but had placed a temporary restriction on one statutory account after noticing what it described as suspicious transactions.
“The anti-graft commission’s move was ill-timed,” said a student, Ayobami Adenike.
“The goal is to invest Governor Ademola Adeleke, even a blind man can see that. I don’t know what he did to them but we all know who the target is.
“The governor had been working but they should let the people decide who they want as governor. “Osun people should be allowed to vote in a free and fair contest.
But, another resident said the EFCC move was part of a coordinated attack on the people of Osun State.
I was surprised with that action because EFCC action is a direct attack on Osun state. It was good that the president intervened in time to break the deadlock. “It’s a slap on President Bola Tinubu, really,” he said.
Now, attention shifts to the implementation of the presidential directive for Osun residents and whether the EFCC would return to court to vacate the reported order as directed by the President.
The development is coming as political parties intensify preparation for the August 15 governorship election, with parties involved continuing to call for a peaceful, credible and transparent electoral process.