Tinubu’s Quick Move against EFCC’s Assault on Democracy in Osun

By halting the freezing of the accounts of Osun State Government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) just a few days to the August 15 governorship election in the state, President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated he fought for democracy.

As the governorship election approaches, the political atmosphere in the state is charged as Governor Ademola Adeleke has repeatedly alleged political pressure and interference aimed at undermining his administration and possibly intimidating him out of office in the lead-up to the election.

Last Wednesday, lovers of democracy were shocked when the governor raised the alarm that the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, had directed that the account of the Osun State Government be frozen.

Before then, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada (SAN), confirmed that a ‘Post no debit’ letter from the EFCC was forwarded to the First Bank where Osun government accounts were domiciled on Wednesday.

Corroborating the Attorney General, Osun State Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, alleged that police operatives had stormed the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo and arrested staff members of the bank.

But the EFCC in its response, said the action was taken to prevent the alleged diversion of public funds. In a statement posted on its official X account, it said it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged fraudulent handling of about N11billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

To halt the EFCC’s planned assault on democracy, President Tinubu, in a statement he personally signed, directed the commission to return to court and vacate the order freezing the state government’s account.  

The freezing of the state’s account a few days to the election would have been a dangerous precedent that could have destroyed democracy if President Tinubu had not halted it.

Political analysts believe that if EFCC had succeeded, the action could have encouraged the freezing of accounts of states ruled by opposition parties and private accounts of candidates of opposition parties ahead of every election.  

Such actions have the potential to destroy Nigeria’s democracy.

President Tinubu should be commended for rising against EFCC’s overzealousness. He should also ensure that federal might is not deployed to undermine the election.