Tinubu Embarrassed by EFCC’s Freeze on Osun Accounts, Orders Immediate Reversal

Tinubu Embarrassed by EFCC’s Freeze on Osun Accounts, Orders Immediate Reversal

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed embarrassment over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s decision to freeze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government just days before the state’s governorship election, ordering the anti-graft agency to immediately reverse the action.

The President directed the EFCC to approach the court without delay to vacate the August 5, 2026 order freezing the accounts, stressing that the timing of the move was inappropriate and capable of creating the wrong impression about the Federal Government’s role in the electoral process.

In a State House statement issued on Thursday, Tinubu said he was embarrassed because actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the President, even when they are carried out without his prior knowledge or approval.

While reaffirming his commitment to the operational independence of anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies, the President maintained that such independence must be exercised with sensitivity to the nation’s democratic process, especially during election periods.

According to him, no action by any federal agency should fuel perceptions of political interference or undermine public confidence in the credibility and fairness of elections.

Tinubu said his intervention was guided by the overriding public interest and the need to preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy.

Following the directive, the EFCC is expected to discontinue its legal action against the Osun State Government’s accounts and formally seek to vacate the court order freezing them.