Tinubu Intervenes, Orders EFCC to Reverse Freeze on Osun Accounts

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately take steps to vacate a court order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government, citing concerns over the timing of the action ahead of the state’s governorship election.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the President said he had become aware that the EFCC secured the court order on August 5, 2026, and expressed embarrassment over the timing of the development. He noted that although the anti-graft agency was acting within its statutory mandate backed by a court order, actions taken by federal institutions are often perceived by the public as having his direct approval, even when he has no prior knowledge of them.

Osun 2026: ‘Allow free election to hold’ – Accord to Tinubu after EFCC action

Tinubu reiterated his longstanding position that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies should be allowed to carry out their constitutional responsibilities independently, professionally, and without political interference. He said that since assuming office, he had deliberately refrained from directing or influencing the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative agencies because of his commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and upholding the rule of law.

The President, however, stated that while he had yet to receive full details of the circumstances that informed the EFCC’s decision to seek the court order, he considered the timing inappropriate given the proximity of the Osun governorship election. According to him, no action should create the impression that any federal agency is being used to influence or interfere with the democratic process.

He said preserving public confidence in the credibility, fairness, and integrity of the electoral process remained paramount. Consequently, Tinubu announced that he had directed the EFCC to immediately return to court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue all related actions against the Osun State Government in the matter.