President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to immediately vacate a court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the timing of the action could undermine public confidence ahead of the state’s gubernatorial election.
In a State House statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, August 6, 2026, the President said he was made aware that the EFCC obtained the freezing order on August 5, 2026. While acknowledging the Commission’s mandate, Tinubu expressed concern about when the action was taken.
“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 said. “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 President reiterated his long-standing position of non-interference in the work of anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies. According to him, institutions must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, and without political interference.
“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,” Tinubu stated. “That is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers.”
Despite that stance, the President said he felt compelled to intervene because of the proximity of the Osun governorship election. He described the EFCC’s move as “inauspicious” and warned against any perception that federal institutions were being used to influence the poll.
“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 said.
Tinubu added that while he had not yet been fully briefed on the facts that led the EFCC to seek the court order, preserving the integrity of the democratic process was an overriding public interest.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
The President closed his statement with: “Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The Osun gubernatorial election is scheduled for later this week, and political stakeholders have been calling for all federal institutions to remain neutral during the process.
