President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately lift the freeze placed on the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, describing the timing of the action as unfortunate and capable of undermining public confidence in the forthcoming governorship election.
In a personally signed statement issued on Thursday, the President said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the anti-graft agency’s decision, not because of its statutory powers, but because the move came barely days before the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.
The EFCC had on Tuesday secured a court order directing banks to freeze the state’s accounts over allegations that Osun government officials were transferring public funds into private accounts in suspicious transactions ahead of the election.
Tinubu reiterated that since assuming office, he has consistently allowed anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to carry out their constitutional responsibilities independently, professionally and without political interference.
He noted that although he was yet to be fully briefed on the circumstances that led the EFCC to obtain the court order, the timing of the action created the wrong perception that the Federal Government was attempting to influence the electoral process.
According to the President, every action taken by federal institutions is often attributed to him, whether or not he had prior knowledge of such decisions, making it imperative to intervene in the interest of protecting the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy.
“As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function within the law and exercise their statutory responsibilities without interference. However, with Osun State only days away from its governorship election, nothing should be done to create the impression that the EFCC or any other federal agency is being used to interfere with the democratic process,” he said.
Tinubu therefore directed the anti-graft agency to immediately approach the court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue all actions instituted against the Osun State Government in relation to the matter.
He said the directive was issued in the overriding public interest to preserve confidence in the integrity, credibility and fairness of the country’s democratic process, while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to the rule of law and the independence of public institutions.
