President Bola Tinubu has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to return to court and seek the removal of an order freezing the Osun State Government’s allocation accounts. The intervention came on Thursday, 6 August 2026, nine days before the state’s governorship election, amid concerns that the restriction could affect public services and damage confidence in the poll.
The President did not declare the EFCC investigation unlawful or clear Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration of the allegations being examined. Instead, he said the timing of the court-backed restriction was inappropriate and could create the impression that a federal institution was being used to influence the election.
Tinubu instructed the commission to approach the court that issued the freezing order and ask for it to be vacated. This means the President’s directive may not automatically restore access to the accounts: the court must first cancel or vary its order, after which the bank can act on the new decision.
Tinubu confirms EFCC obtained court order
The President’s statement clarifies an important question raised after the account restriction became public.
Senior lawyers and Osun officials had questioned whether the EFCC obtained judicial approval before directing First Bank to block withdrawals. Tinubu confirmed that the commission secured a court order on 5 August as part of an investigation into alleged financial infractions involving the state government.
The PUNCH report did not identify the court, judge, case number or length of the order. Those details will be important in establishing the scope of the restriction and the procedure required to bring it to an end.
Tinubu said he was not embarrassed that the EFCC had exercised its legal mandate through a court order. He said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the timing, given the approaching election.
The President added that he had not yet received a full briefing on the evidence that led the commission to court. However, he said the proximity of the governorship election required his intervention in the wider public interest.
Osun voters are scheduled to elect a governor on Saturday, 15 August. The Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed the date and issued arrangements for media accreditation and election coverage.
Directive aims to protect confidence in election
Tinubu said federal agencies must avoid actions that could create doubts about the fairness of the electoral process.
He said “nothing ought to be done” to suggest that the EFCC or another federal institution was interfering in the election. He therefore ordered the commission to “immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order”.
The decision highlights a difficult balance between allowing anti-corruption agencies to operate independently and protecting public confidence during an election.
Tinubu said he had generally avoided interfering in the operational work of the EFCC and other investigative bodies because strong institutions must be free to carry out their duties professionally and without political pressure.
However, he also acknowledged that actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the presidency, even when he had no prior knowledge of them. He said intervention was necessary because the account freeze could be viewed as an attempt to affect the political contest.
The President had earlier urged INEC, security agencies, political parties, the judiciary, the press and civil society to protect the credibility of the Osun election. In his Democracy Day address, he warned that democracy suffers when citizens lose confidence in the electoral process.
Freeze followed investigation into alleged financial misconduct
The EFCC obtained the freezing order during an investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing involving the Osun State Government.
The commission had defended the restriction, saying it was acting within its statutory authority and had identified transactions it considered suspicious. It also maintained that the approaching election should not prevent it from protecting public money.
Earlier reports said the investigation concerned the alleged handling of about N11 billion in ecology, intervention and federal allocation funds. The EFCC claimed that unusual transfers had been made from government accounts to corporate entities shortly before the restriction was imposed.
The Osun Government rejected the allegations and denied misappropriating the money. It had also announced plans to challenge the freeze in court before Tinubu issued his directive.
Neither the EFCC’s allegations nor the state government’s denials have been tested through a completed criminal trial. The freezing order was a temporary investigative measure and did not amount to a conviction.
New Daily Prime has previously reported cases in which the EFCC obtained an ex parte court order to freeze accounts. An ex parte order is usually granted after hearing from one party at an early stage, often to preserve money or property while an investigation continues.
The affected party may later appear before the court and ask for the order to be changed or cancelled.
What happens next?
The EFCC is expected to file an application asking the court to vacate the order. The restriction will formally end when the court grants that request and the bank receives the necessary legal instructions.
The available report does not confirm whether the commission has already filed the application or whether the court has fixed a hearing date.
Tinubu’s directive also does not automatically mean that every aspect of the EFCC investigation has ended. It is focused on discontinuing the freezing action against the state government, and further clarification may be needed on whether investigators will continue examining particular transactions or individuals.
The Osun Government must still provide clear answers to any lawful questions about the movement of public funds. At the same time, the EFCC must ensure that its investigation follows due process and is not conducted in a way that unfairly affects public services or the election.
Related news
What readers should know
