Directive has destroyed claim that anti-corruption agencies operate independently of Presidency – Ex-VP
By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Ademu Idakwo, Olakunle Olasanmi, Abuja, and Joshua Dada, Osogbo
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other stakeholders yesterday reacted to President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to vacate the court order freezing the Osun State Government’s account.
While Atiku and the ADC questioned the President’s intervention, arguing that it raised fresh concerns about the independence of anti-corruption agencies, the APC, PDP, Accord Party and the Democracy Leadership Alliance (DLA) backed the directive, describing it as necessary to protect confidence in the electoral process.
The controversy followed the EFCC’s decision to freeze the Osun State Government’s Federal Statutory Allocation Account over an alleged N11 billion fraud, barely nine days before the August 15 governorship election in the state.
Governor Ademola Adeleke and opposition parties had protested the action, alleging that the timing created room for suspicion.
However, the EFCC defended its decision, saying it was legally empowered to temporarily restrict suspicious accounts for up to 72 hours while investigations continued.
The commission’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, said the restriction followed suspicious transactions detected on the account.
Tinubu’s Intervention
Reacting to the development, President Tinubu directed the EFCC to immediately return to court, vacate the order freezing the Osun account and discontinue any related proceedings.
The President said the timing of the action could create the impression that a federal agency was interfering in the forthcoming governorship election.
In a personally signed statement, Tinubu said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the timing of the EFCC action, stressing that his concern was not the commission’s mandate but the perception the development could create.
“It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the account of the Osun State Government.
“I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed, not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency’s action,” he said.
The President said he had deliberately allowed anti-corruption agencies to operate independently without interference, adding that strong institutions were vital to democracy and good governance.
He, however, said nothing should create the impression that federal institutions were being used to influence the electoral process.
“Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility and fairness of our democratic process,” Tinubu said.
Atiku, ADC Fault Presidency
Reacting, Atiku Abubakar said the President’s directive had weakened the argument that anti-corruption agencies operated independently of the Presidency.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Tinubu’s intervention raised more questions than answers.
