President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has instructed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to move for the immediate lifting of the court order that froze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government. This directive came after the commission’s decision sparked significant public concern due to its proximity to the upcoming gubernatorial election in the state.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, released a statement explaining that the President found the timing of the freeze problematic. While the President supports the agency’s legal mandate and independence, he emphasized that federal actions are frequently misconstrued as being politically motivated. Tinubu reiterated his commitment to non-interference, noting that law enforcement agencies must operate independently to ensure a healthy democracy.
Despite lacking a full briefing on the specific evidence behind the court order, the President argued that the optics of the situation were damaging to the democratic process. To maintain public trust in the electoral system, he declared that the government must not appear to be influencing state politics. Consequently, he ordered the commission to return to court to discontinue the legal action against the Osun State Government.
