President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to return to court and seek the immediate vacation of an order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
Tinubu gave the directive in a statement issued from the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, August 6, 2026, following concerns over the timing of the EFCC’s action ahead of the Osun State governorship election.
Read Also:
Osun to Sue EFCC Over Freeze of State Government Accounts
EFCC Freezes Osun Govt Account 10 Days to Governorship Election
The President said he was aware that the EFCC obtained the court order on August 5, 2026, but stressed that his concern was not with the commission’s exercise of its statutory powers, but with the timing of the action.
He said actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the President, whether or not he had prior knowledge of them.
“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.
The President reiterated his position that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies should be allowed to operate independently and professionally 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 strong democratic institutions are essential to good governance and the rule of law.
Tinubu said institutions of government must be allowed to exercise the powers granted to them by law without requiring prior approval from the Presidency.
He, however, said he had decided to intervene in the Osun matter because the state is only days away from its governorship election.
“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 acknowledged that he had not yet been fully briefed on the facts that led the EFCC to approach the court for the freezing order.
He nevertheless described the timing of the action as “inauspicious”, saying it could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
Tinubu said his directive was therefore based on what he described as the overriding public interest in protecting the integrity, credibility and fairness of the democratic process.
“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,” the President stated.
The directive comes days before the Osun State governorship election, placing renewed attention on the role of federal law enforcement agencies in the period leading up to the poll.