Osun State Government and EFCC clash over frozen accounts ahead of gubernatorial election

The EFCC issued a 'Post No Debit' order, preventing the state government from operating the account. Governor Ademola Adeleke condemned the action as illegal, threatening legal action and suggesting it was an attempt to paralyze government activities before the election. The EFCC, however, stated it acted within its powers to prevent alleged diversion of public funds, citing suspicious transfers from government accounts since August 2.

The agency claimed it was investigating the state's use of approximately N11bn in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds, and Federation Account allocations, asserting the freeze was a preventive measure. President Bola Tinubu subsequently directed the EFCC to vacate the order, expressing embarrassment over the timing close to the election. The President justified his intervention by stating that actions by federal institutions are attributed to him and that his directive aimed to preserve public confidence and the integrity of the democratic process.

This intervention, while appearing to restore confidence, is seen by some as undermining the EFCC's operational autonomy and validating the perception that the executive can dictate the affairs of such agencies. Critics argue that the President's action sets a precedent that could weaken institutional independence, suggesting that national