President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately approach the court to vacate the order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
Tinubu, in a statement on Thursday, said the EFCC obtained the order on August 5, 2026, but expressed concern over the timing of the action, coming days before the Osun State governorship election.
The President said he was “deeply embarrassed” not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate, which he said was backed by a court order, but by the timing of the action.
“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.
He said actions by federal institutions were often attributed to the President, even when he had no prior knowledge of them.
Tinubu reiterated his commitment to the independence of anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies.
“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference,” he said.
He added that he had deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative agencies.
“I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law,” the President said.
Tinubu said institutions of government should be allowed to exercise their legally defined powers without seeking prior presidential approval.
“As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval,” he said.
However, the President said the timing of the EFCC’s action had made his intervention necessary.
“While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene,” Tinubu said.
He noted that the Osun governorship election was only days away, warning that the EFCC’s action could create an impression of federal interference in the electoral process.
“Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, 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,” he said.
Tinubu said his directive was aimed at protecting public confidence in the electoral process.
“I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process,” he said.
The President consequently directed the EFCC to return to court, vacate the order and discontinue any action it had instituted against the Osun State Government in connection with the matter.
“Accordingly, 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,” Tinubu said.