The Osun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, has disclosed that Governor Ademola Adeleke has authorised legal action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the freezing of the state’s bank accounts.
Speaking on Wednesday, Jimi-Bada said the EFCC sent a “Post No Debit” directive to the management of First Bank, where the Osun State Government maintains its accounts.
He described the action as unlawful and insisted that while the anti-graft agency has the authority to investigate government accounts, it cannot freeze them without first obtaining a court order.
According to him, the state government is prepared to challenge the action at the Federal High Court.
“I have the mandate of the governor to proceed to the Federal High Court to challenge this move. EFCC can investigate the accounts but it can’t freeze the accounts without order of court.
“This step will affect government running but we will challenge the move and ensure that the agency acts within the ambit of the law,” Jimi-Bada said.
Also speaking on the development, the Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, alleged that police officers visited the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo and arrested some members of the bank’s staff.
Ogungbile maintained that Governor Adeleke was not funding his re-election campaign with public resources.
He urged the EFCC to consider the consequences of its action on governance and the welfare of residents across the state.
Earlier on Wednesday, Governor Adeleke had alleged that the EFCC was planning to freeze all accounts belonging to the Osun State Government.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the governor also claimed that the anti-graft agency intended to freeze the accounts of senior government officials.
According to the statement, Adeleke described the alleged move as an act of lawlessness and argued that it was aimed at disrupting government operations ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
“The plot to freeze the state government accounts is meant to paralyze government activities ahead of the August 15th governorship election.”
The governor further insisted that there was no legal basis for freezing the state’s accounts, arguing that the EFCC lacks the authority to take such action against a state government.