President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to immediately vacate a court order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government.
In a statement issued from the State House on Wednesday, August 6th, 2026 and signed by the President, Tinubu said the timing of the EFCC’s action was “inauspicious” coming just days to the Osun gubernatorial election.
“It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government,” the President said.
“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.
“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.”
Tinubu reiterated his commitment to allowing anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to operate independently and without political interference.
He, however, said he was compelled to intervene in the interest of public confidence and the integrity of the democratic process.
“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 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, the President 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.”
He noted that while he was yet to be fully briefed on the facts that informed the EFCC’s application, he remains committed to strong democratic institutions operating within the law.