*President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directs the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order freezing the Bank account of the Osun State Government, and ‘discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard’
Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
Sequel to the recent court order freezing the state’s bank accounts, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has directed Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to vacate the Post- No-Debit mandate earlier placed on the bank accounts of the Osun State Government.
Tinubu said this in a statement he personally signed and issued Thursday, August 6, 2026, in the State House, Abuja, FCT.
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The President stated: “It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
“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.”
He noted: “This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.”
The Nigerian leader also explained that since assuming office, he has 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.
“I have, therefore, deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC, or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law,” stated he.
Tinubu further said: “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.
“Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers.”
The President as well said: “While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore, I feel compelled to intervene.”
According to him, Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election.
Tinubu averred that “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 also stated: “Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our 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.”