Freezing of Osun Govt account: Adeleke drags EFCC to court, alleges political persecution

Why we froze Osun govt account 10 days to gov’ship election -EFCC

Accord, ADC accuse anti-graft agency of using federal power to influence Osun guber poll

CSOs demand immediate unfreezing of Osun accounts, call for peaceful gov’ship election

 

By Mike Dike, Osogbo & Oriaku Ijele

A major political and legal showdown erupted in Osun State on Wednesday as Governor Ademola Adeleke instituted legal proceedings against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the freezing of the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, describing the action as unconstitutional, politically motivated and a direct assault on Nigeria’s democracy and constitutional federalism.

The development, which comes barely 10 days before the August 15 governorship election, has further heightened political tension in the state, with a coalition of civil society organisations demanding the immediate restoration of the government’s access to its accounts while

He warned that the action could cripple governance and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

Addressing journalists during a press conference in Osogbo, Governor Adeleke disclosed that his administration received an official communication from its banker informing the state that the EFCC had directed the freezing of all government accounts.

According to the governor, the directive was issued without any court order, making it unlawful and inconsistent with constitutional provisions governing the operations of state governments.

He maintained that the action violated the rule of law and represented the latest chapter in what he described as a systematic campaign to destabilise his administration ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.

Adeleke alleged that his government had, in recent months, come under sustained political pressure through what he described as the deliberate paralysis of the local government system, repeated arrests of Accord Party members, police raids on party leaders and the detention of dozens of party supporters without formal charges.

The governor further claimed that several members of the party had lost their lives in politically-related attacks while about 60 supporters had been arrested and taken to Abuja, where they allegedly remain in detention.

He also accused the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and former Governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, of orchestrating what he described as a coordinated campaign of intimidation against his administration. Oyetola has previously denied similar allegations.

Describing the freezing of the state’s accounts as a dangerous constitutional precedent, Adeleke warned that permitting federal agencies to arbitrarily freeze the accounts of democratically elected state governments without judicial authorisation could weaken Nigeria’s democratic institutions and federal structure.

“We are supposed to be in a democracy where the rule of law must always prevail. We will not accept a situation where federal agencies trample on the constitutional rights of sub-national governments,” the governor declared.

He added that allowing such actions to go unchallenged could gradually erode constitutional democracy.

“This is a threat to our democracy. If we all keep quiet and allow this illegality, very soon whatever is left of our democracy will be fully eroded,” he said.

Adeleke challenged the EFCC to publicly explain the legal basis upon which it directed the freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts.

“I ask the Chairman of the EFCC to explain to the good people of Osun State and Nigerians why he froze the Osun State Government accounts and to provide proof to justify such action,” he stated.

The governor announced that he had directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to immediately institute legal proceedings before the Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo to challenge the directive.

He expressed confidence that the judiciary would uphold the Constitution and restore the state’s rights.

Despite the legal battle, Adeleke insisted that neither governance nor his re-election campaign would be distracted.

“We are pushing ahead with our campaign,” he declared while appealing to residents to remain peaceful and law-abiding throughout the election period.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says it not partisan despite being accused of being so by a cross section of the Nigerian public over its recent action in Osun State, where it placed a ‘Post No-Debt’ order on the state’s account in First Bank.

Some have described the action as illegal.

But in a press statement seen by The Daily Monitor, the Commission said it did so to stop further withdrawals from the account after it noticed several transfers from the account to various corporate entities.

The press statement reads: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is compelled to publicly address issues pertaining to its preventive moves in freezing the bank account of the Osun State government, without prejudice to the imminent governorship election in the state.

“The Commission has been busy investigating the Osun state government since March, 2026, regarding alleged fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC account to the tune of N11, 000,000, 000(Eleven Billion Naira only).  To this end, some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.

“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.  The Commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved.  

“The EFCC’s preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources.   The Commission cannot watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.  While the Commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state.  It will be uncharitable for the Commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions.

“It is equally needful to state that the Commission is keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State.  Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the Commission to ensure accountability and probity.   The Commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians.  The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.

“The public is enjoined to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonisation of the works of the EFCC.   The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the Commission.”

However, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Accord Party have condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for freezing the Osun state government’s statutory allocation account, alleging that the move is aimed at influencing the August 15 governorship election.

The parties reacted after the Osun government accused the anti-graft agency of freezing its account with First Bank and threatened legal action.

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, Maxwell Mgbudem, national chairman of Accord Party, described the action as unconstitutional and politically motivated.

“The national leadership of Accord condemns in strong terms the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arbitrary freezing of the Osun State Government accounts ahead of the 15th August governorship election in the state,” he said.

 “This injustice, illegality, impunity and recklessness shall not stand. It’s part of the wider plot to use the police and federal agencies to capture Osun State for the opposition All Progressives Congress.”

Mgbudem said the party would challenge the EFCC’s action in court.

“This unconstitutional action of the EFCC shall be challenged in court as the temple of justice and last hope of all aggrieved citizens,” he said.

He alleged that the anti-graft agency acted without obtaining a court order because it knew such an application would not succeed.

“It is obvious that EFCC is acting a script along with the police in the state to paralyze and frustrate government activities to pave way for the opposition APC,” he said.

“Accord calls on President Bola Tinubu to allow a free, fair, credible and peaceful governorship election in Osun State… by ensuring that the security agencies, particularly the police, are neutral, impartial and professional in their conduct.”

In a separate statement, the ADC described the freezing of the account as “political terrorism” and accused the federal government of weaponising state institutions against the Osun government.

Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the party, said the action was designed to undermine the state government ahead of the election.

“This is not an administrative decision or a legal dispute. It is political terrorism by the Bola Tinubu-led APC government carried out with the instruments of the Nigerian state in order to achieve the singular objective of undermining the state government ahead of the coming governorship election in the state,” he said.

Abdullahi alleged that the withholding of funds formed part of a broader campaign of intimidation against the Osun government.

“The freezing of local government funds is only the latest chapter in what has become a systematic campaign to undermine constitutional government in the state,” he said.

The ADC called for the immediate restoration of the statutory allocations due to Osun’s local governments and urged the federal government to end what it described as intimidation of the state’s residents.

Also, a coalition of civil society and pro-democracy organisations has urged the EFCC to immediately unfreeze the Osun State Government’s accounts, describing the action as ill-timed and capable of inflicting unnecessary hardship on workers, pensioners and millions of residents.

In a petition addressed to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC and signed by its coordinator, Bankole Solomon, the coalition argued that freezing the accounts of an entire state government barely days before a governorship election raises serious concerns about political neutrality, constitutional propriety and fairness.

The petition, titled “Demand for Immediate Unfreezing of Osun State Government Account Ahead of Gubernatorial Election,” acknowledged the statutory powers of the EFCC to investigate financial crimes but insisted that such powers must always be exercised within the limits of the law and without creating any perception of political interference.

According to the coalition, the freezing of the state’s accounts could disrupt salary payments, pension obligations, healthcare delivery, education and other essential public services while also undermining confidence in the electoral process.

The groups also questioned what they described as selective enforcement by the anti-graft agency, urging the Commission to apply the same standards to every state under investigation irrespective of political affiliation.

“The perception that the EFCC is being used as an instrument of the ruling party at the federal level damages public confidence in the Commission and in our democracy,” the petition stated.

The coalition therefore demanded the immediate restoration of access to the state’s accounts, a comprehensive public explanation from the EFCC on the reasons for its action and assurances that the Commission would not interfere, directly or indirectly, with the August 15 governorship election.

Copies of the petition were forwarded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Human Rights Commission.

Also on Wednesday, the Partnership for Ethical Governance appealed to political parties, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the electorate to work collectively towards ensuring a peaceful, credible and violence-free governorship election in Osun State.

Speaking during a press conference in Osogbo on the theme, “Safeguarding Democracy Through Peaceful, Credible and Violence-Free Elections,” the group’s leader, Comrade Dabo Adeniran described the August 15 governorship poll as a defining moment in the democratic journey of Osun State and Nigeria.

The organisation expressed concern over rising political tension and reports of election-related violence, warning that continued hostilities could discourage voter participation and weaken public confidence in democratic institutions.

According to the coalition, elections should never become contests of violence but opportunities for citizens to freely choose their leaders without fear, intimidation or coercion.

The organisation appealed to eligible voters to turn out peacefully on election day and freely exercise their constitutional rights without harassment or intimidation.

It specifically urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Accord Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other participating political parties to discourage hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric, voter intimidation and every form of electoral violence.

On security preparations, the Partnership disclosed that it had engaged the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Army, the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other relevant security agencies ahead of the election.

While commending the assurances received from the various security agencies, the organisation urged them to remain professional, impartial and fully committed to protecting lives and property throughout the electoral process.