Tinubu lifts EFCC ban on Osun account

By Omolade Adegbuyi

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to seek a court order vacating the freeze on Osun State Government accounts.

This comes after the anti-graft agency placed a seal on Osun finances after observing unusual cash movements ahead of the governorship election in the State.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a statement made available to Irohinoodua directed the EFCC to immediately return to court and seek the withdrawal of the order freezing the bank accounts of the South West State.

The directive follows widespread controversy over the anti-graft agency’s decision to freeze the state’s accounts just days before the Osun State governorship election.

In a statement released on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, which was monitored by irohin oodua, Tinubu expressed concern over the timing of the EFCC’s action, noting that decisions taken by federal institutions are often linked to him as President, even when he has no prior knowledge of them.

According to the statement, the President was not troubled by the EFCC’s exercise of its legal mandate, which was backed by a court order, but rather by the timing of the move.

“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference,” Tinubu said. Politics

The President explained that he has deliberately avoided interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC and other investigative or prosecutorial agencies because democratic institutions must function independently within the law to uphold good governance and the rule of law
He added that institutions established by law have clearly defined responsibilities and should be allowed to perform their duties without undue interference.

Tinubu said that although he had not yet received a full briefing on the circumstances that led the EFCC to obtain the freezing order, he considered the timing of the action inappropriate.

“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,” he said.