Tinubu moves to protect Osun election integrity, orders EFCC to vacate court order

Stanley Ihedigbo

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately approach the court to vacate the order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, describing the timing of the agency’s action as inappropriate given the state’s forthcoming governorship election.

In a statement personally signed on Thursday from the State House, Abuja, the President said he became aware that the EFCC had obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.

Tinubu clarified that while he was not opposed to the EFCC carrying out its statutory responsibilities, he was concerned that the timing of the action could create the impression that federal institutions were being used to influence the political process in Osun State.

“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,” the President stated.
He noted that actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the President, even when he has no prior knowledge of such decisions.

The President reiterated his longstanding commitment to allowing anti-corruption agencies and other law enforcement institutions to operate independently, professionally, and without political interference.

According to him, since assuming office, he has deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative or prosecutorial agencies because of his belief in strengthening democratic institutions and upholding the rule of law.

Tinubu said institutions established by law should be allowed to exercise their powers independently without requiring presidential approval for their actions.
However, he explained that the proximity of the Osun governorship election made it necessary for him to intervene in the overriding public interest.

“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.

The President stressed that preserving public confidence in the electoral process remains paramount, adding that the integrity, credibility, and fairness of Nigeria’s democratic process must not be compromised.

Consequently, Tinubu directed the anti-graft agency to immediately return to court to vacate the order freezing the Osun State Government’s accounts and discontinue any legal action it had initiated in connection with the matter.

He noted that although he was yet to receive a full briefing on the circumstances that informed the EFCC’s decision to seek the court order, he considered the timing of the move “inauspicious.”

The directive is expected to ease political tensions in Osun State as preparations intensify for the forthcoming governorship election, with stakeholders closely monitoring developments to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process.