President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to immediately take steps to vacate the court order freezing the bank accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the timing of the action could create doubts about the credibility of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

The directive was contained in a State House statement personally signed by the President on Thursday, following widespread reactions to the anti-graft agency’s decision to secure a court order freezing the state’s accounts.

Tinubu expresses concern over timing

According to Tinubu, although the EFCC acted pursuant to a court order obtained on August 5, 2026, he was deeply embarrassed by the timing of the action because every decision taken by a federal institution is often attributed to the Presidency, regardless of whether he had prior knowledge of it.

The President stressed that his concern was not with the commission’s statutory powers or its anti-corruption mandate but with the public perception that could arise from the development at a politically sensitive period.

He noted that Osun State is only a few days away from its governorship election, adding that no action by any federal institution should give the impression that the Federal Government is attempting to influence the outcome of the poll.

Commitment to institutional independence

Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to allowing anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to perform their constitutional responsibilities independently and without political interference.

He said that since assuming office, he had deliberately refrained from interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative agencies because strong democratic institutions remain essential to good governance and the rule of law.

According to him, institutions established by law must be allowed to exercise their statutory responsibilities professionally, without fear or favour, and without requiring prior presidential approval before taking legitimate actions.

President orders immediate reversal

Despite his long-standing policy of non-interference, Tinubu said the circumstances surrounding the freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts compelled him to intervene in the overriding public interest.

The President disclosed that although he had yet to receive a full briefing on the facts that informed the EFCC’s decision to approach the court, he considered the timing of the action inappropriate and capable of undermining public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

He therefore directed the anti-graft agency to immediately return to court to vacate the freezing order and discontinue all actions it had instituted against the Osun State Government in connection with the matter.

Protecting democracy and public trust

Tinubu emphasised that preserving the integrity, credibility and fairness of Nigeria’s democratic process remains a constitutional obligation of every institution of government.

He maintained that while the fight against corruption must continue without compromise, enforcement actions must also be carefully timed to avoid creating unnecessary political controversy or giving room for allegations of partisan interference.

The President added that democratic institutions derive their legitimacy from public trust and confidence, stressing that every agency of government must always exercise its powers in a manner that strengthens, rather than weakens, Nigeria’s democracy.

The directive comes amid growing political controversy over the EFCC’s freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts, with opposition figures, legal practitioners and civil society groups expressing concerns over the timing of the action ahead of the state’s governorship election.