President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately return to court and vacate the order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government.
The directive followed public controversy over the EFCC’s action, which came just days before the Osun State governorship election.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said he was concerned about the timing of the move, noting that actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to him, even when he has no prior knowledge of them.
The President said he supports the independence of anti-corruption agencies and has consistently allowed the EFCC and other law enforcement bodies to carry out their statutory responsibilities without political interference.
However, Tinubu stressed that although he had not been fully briefed on the facts behind the court order, the timing was inappropriate given the proximity of the Osun governorship election.
He said no action should create the impression that the EFCC or any federal agency was being used to influence the electoral process, adding that preserving public confidence in the credibility and fairness of democracy was paramount.
Accordingly, the President directed the EFCC to immediately approach the court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue the action against the Osun State Government in the interest of protecting the integrity of the electoral process.
