President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has distanced himself from the freezing of Osun State government bank accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Recall that the anti-graft agency on Wednesday froze the government’s account domicile in First Bank ten days to the state’s governorship election.
Reacting to the development, Tinubu described the action of the anti-graft agency as unacceptable, smacking of indiscretion and overreach, noting that EFCC was not acting at his behest and he had no prior knowledge of the action.
In a statement issued by the State House on Thursday, the president said he felt “deeply embarrassed” by the development. He stated that while he was not against the EFCC’s exercise of its statutory powers, the timing of the action raised some concerns.
He therefore Tinubu directed the EFCC to immediately approach the court to set aside the order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government and to discontinue related actions.
“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 statement read.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his longstanding position that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must operate independently, professionally, and without political interference. He noted that he has deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative agency.
However, he said the timing was “inauspicious” because Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. He added that the action of the EFCC creates an impression that the federal government is using its agency and institutions to interfere in the state election.
The statement: “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.
“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.
“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.”
