Tinubu Orders EFCC to Vacate Court Order Freezing Osun Government Accounts Ahead of Governorship Election

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

In a statement issued on Thursday, the President disclosed that the EFCC had obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, authorising the freezing of Osun State Government accounts. While acknowledging the anti-graft agency’s legal mandate to investigate alleged financial crimes, Tinubu said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the timing of the move, stressing that actions taken by federal institutions are often perceived by the public as having presidential approval.

The President reiterated his long-standing position that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies should be allowed to operate independently, professionally and without political interference. He noted that since assuming office, he has deliberately refrained from influencing the operational activities of agencies such as the EFCC, believing that democratic institutions must function within the limits of the law.

Tinubu, however, explained that the proximity of the EFCC’s action to the forthcoming Osun governorship election made the situation exceptional, warning that it could create the impression that the Federal Government was attempting to influence the electoral process.

According to the President, he had not yet been fully briefed on the facts that led the EFCC to seek the court order. Nevertheless, he described the timing as “inauspicious” and said preserving public confidence in the integrity and fairness of Nigeria’s democratic process was of overriding national importance.

“As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval,” Tinubu said, adding that the current circumstances required intervention to avoid undermining public trust.

Consequently, the President directed the EFCC to immediately return to court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue any legal action it had instituted against the Osun State Government in relation to the matter.

The directive comes at a politically sensitive period, with Osun State preparing for its governorship election in the coming days. Political observers say the President’s intervention is aimed at preventing any perception that federal institutions are being used to influence the outcome of the poll.

The EFCC had not publicly responded to the presidential directive at the time of filing this report. It also remains unclear what allegations formed the basis of the commission’s application to freeze the state’s accounts.

The development is expected to generate widespread political and legal debate, particularly over the balance between the operational independence of anti-corruption agencies and the need to safeguard public confidence in the electoral process during election periods.