Tinubu Orders EFCC to Unfreeze Osun Government Accounts Ahead of Governorship Election

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately vacate the court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the timing of the action could undermine public confidence in the forthcoming governorship election.
In a statement issued from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, Tinubu said he became aware that the EFCC had obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the state’s accounts.
The President stressed that although he supports the independence of anti-corruption agencies, he was concerned that the action, coming just days before the Osun governorship election, could create the impression that the Federal Government was attempting to influence the electoral process.
Tinubu said he had consistently allowed the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies to perform their statutory duties without political interference, insisting that strong democratic institutions must operate independently and within the law.

“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.”
“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference.”
“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.”
The President noted that while he had not been fully briefed on the reasons behind the EFCC’s decision to seek the court order, the timing of the move made it necessary for him to intervene in the interest of protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.
Consequently, Tinubu directed the anti-graft agency to immediately return to court to vacate the order and discontinue the action against the Osun State Government.
He said the directive was issued in the overriding public interest to preserve public confidence as well as the credibility, fairness and integrity of the country’s electoral process.