Amid tension, Governor Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke of Osun State raises the alarm over plot by the Federal Government-backed All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to hijack the August 15 governorship election in the state through foul and crude means
By David Oladimeji
Political tension ahead of the forthcoming Osun State election took a dramatic turn on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 as Governor Ademola Adeleke issued a direct appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to intervene to prevent what he described as growing political violence in the state.
Speaking to his supporters and party faithful, the governor said the atmosphere surrounding the election had become increasingly worrisome, insisting that all Osun residents deserve a peaceful, transparent and credible electoral process free from intimidation or manipulation.
Adeleke reminded the President that both of them are sons of the South west region, stressing that Osun occupies a strategic place in Yorubaland and should not be allowed to descend into political instability because of electoral competition.
The governor alleged that chieftains of the ruling party were fueling acts of political violence while, according to him, the Federal Government appeared unwilling to halt the trend. He appealed to President Tinubu to take decisive action before the situation deteriorated further.
Describing himself as the Chief Security Officer of Osun State, Adeleke maintained that peace and security within the state remained his foremost responsibility, adding that security agencies must operate professionally and impartially throughout the electoral process.
In one of the strongest portions of his address, the governor warned against any attempt to compromise the integrity of the election, saying such actions could provoke consequences reminiscent of Nigeria’s turbulent political history.
He specifically referenced the political crisis that followed the controversial 1983 governorship election in Ondo State involving the late Michael Ajasin, warning that history should not be allowed to repeat itself through actions capable of undermining the will of the electorate.
According to Adeleke, democracy thrives only when the people’s votes are respected. He argued that any effort to manipulate the electoral outcome would not only threaten Osun’s stability but could also weaken public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
The governor, therefore, appealed directly to President Tinubu to call political leaders, party supporters and security chiefs to order, insisting that neutrality by law enforcement agencies is essential to guaranteeing a peaceful election.
Adeleke also expressed surprise over what he described as continued political pressure despite the fact that his Accord Party had endorsed President Tinubu. He questioned the necessity of heightened political tension if broad political support already existed.
Invoking the President’s long history in Nigeria’s democratic struggle, the governor urged Tinubu to protect the democratic values for which he was widely recognised during the pro-democracy movement, saying history would judge today’s leaders by how they safeguard the nation’s electoral process.
The governor further called on all political stakeholders to place the interests of Osun people above partisan ambitions, emphasizing that elections should produce winners through the ballot rather than through intimidation, violence and abuse of state institutions.
On the issue of 1983 crisis in South west region, Adeleke warned President Tinubu not to allow rigging the August 15 governorship election in the State or risk political violence as witnessed in that year.
The Governor, who was addressing party supporters at Orita-Sabo in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State on Monday, August 3, also said the President must wake up to his responsibility of protecting the people from police harassment.
According to him, the President is watching without concern, the political crisis in Osun being perpetrated by his party chieftains despite the fact that Accord Party had endorsed him as its 2027 Presidential candidate.
Adeleke: “Mr President, I want you to take note of my words, I am the Chief Security Officer of Osun, you are a Yoruba man and Osun is Yorubaland, yet, your party chieftains are perpetrating political violence while you look the other way.
“Mr President, all we demand for is a free and fair election, if anybody tries to do otherwise, the political crisis of 1983, when some people tried to rig Michael Ajasin in Ondo State out of power, may repeat itself again.
“Mr President, call your people to order, call police chiefs to order, I am the governor here not any other person. Accord has already endorsed you as its candidate, why are suffering us again?
“You fought for democracy in Nigeria and you must not allow your people destroy it. Wake up to your responsibility Mr President, stop the shenanigans going on in Osun”.
While Adeleke sounded his warnings to Tinubu, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the country’s number one anti-graft agency responsible for investigating perpetrators of economic crimes has been alleged to be a willing tool in the hands of President Tinubu to terrorize opposition parties. The allegation has proved to be true in Osun State as the EFCC is alleged to be prosecuting Adeleke through the back door. Governor Adeleke enjoys constitutional immunity from prosecution.
Thus, ahead of the governorship election in Osun State, the EFCC frozed the account of the state government domiciled with a first generation bank.
The development, however, elicited angry reactions as Governor Adeleke, the Accord Party, African Democratic Congress (ADC), and many legal practitioners faulted the move. But Adeleke revealed that he has instructed his Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice to challenge the action in court.
The EFCC had in a letter, dated August 5, 2026, addressed to a first generation bank, requested that the bank should place “post-no-debit” numbered, 2017170947 on Osun State account with it.
The letter signed by EFCC’s Director of Investigation, Adenike Babalola, said the request was pursuant to section 38 (1) & (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act 2004 and Section 24 of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act.
But Governor Adeleke has insisted that the action was an abuse of rule of law and democratic ethos. Addressing the media in Osogbo in response to the frozen account, Adeleke demanded answers for the action of the EFCC without legal grounds, describing the action as an abuse of the rule of law.
He called out the EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, to justify the reason behind the commission’s action.
“All I ask is for the EFCC chairman to explain to the good people of Osun State and to Nigerians why he froze Osun State Government account, and show proof to support whatever reason he presents.
“This and all other illegalities being visited on Osun State are turning our democracy into a huge joke. I have instructed my Attorney General to challenge this illegality at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.”
Also kicking against the actions of the anti-graft commission, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the State, Mr Oluwole Jimi-Bada, SAN, said the anti-graft agency lacked powers to freeze the statutory account of a state.
Jimi-Bada said: “Let me state respectfully that the government of Osun State recognizes and respects the statutory mandate of the EFCC and all lawful institutions of government.
‘’This statement is not intended as an attack on any person, government, agency or political party; it is purely a legal position taken in the interest of constitutional order and due process.
“Our considered view is that Section 24 of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act, and Section 38 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act 2004 do not confer on the EFCC the rational power to freeze, restrict or interfere with the statutory account of the state government.
“The statutory account of Osun State contains public funds meant for governance, salaries, pension, health care, education, security and other essential obligations to the people.
“Any restriction on such funds raises serious constitutional questions, which in our respective view should be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. For avoidance of doubt, Osun State is not opposed to any lawful investigation; we remain committed to transparency, accountability and cooperation with all lawful agencies; however, all investigative power will be exercised within the limits of the Constitution and applicable laws.”
On its part, the EFCC explained that it was compelled to freeze the account after it noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities, while its investigations were on-going.
The EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Mr. Dele Oyewale in a statement justifying the action, said “The Commission is compelled to publicly address issues pertaining to its preventive moves in freezing the bank account of the Osun State government, without prejudice to the imminent governorship election in the state.
“The Commission has been busy investigating the Osun State Government since March, 2026, regarding alleged fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account to the tune of N11 billion.
“To this end, some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant-General of the state, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC. These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitated and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.
“The Commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved. “The EFCC’s preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources. The Commission cannot watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.
“While the Commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state. It will be uncharitable for the commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions.
“It is equally needful to state that the Commission is keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State. Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the Commission to ensure accountability and probity.
“The Commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians. The Osun State Government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted”.
Reacting to the development, Accord Party accused the EFCC of freezing Osun government’s accounts in a bid to tilt the August 15 governorship election in favour of the (APC), vowing to challenge the action in court.
The National Chairman of the party, Chief Maxwell Mgbudem, who described the alleged action as unconstitutional, claimed the anti-graft agency acted without first obtaining a court order.
Mgbudem warned against any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the governorship poll.
He said: “This injustice, illegality, impunity and recklessness shall not stand. It’s part of the wider plot to use the police and federal agencies to capture Osun State for the opposition All Progressives Congress, which the people have since rejected, having brought untold hardship and misery to them.
“This unconstitutional action of the EFCC shall be challenged in court as the temple of justice and last hope of all aggrieved citizens. In a haste to cripple the state, the anti-graft agency could not obtain a court order to freeze the government accounts, conscious of the fact that the court would not grant it.”
Also taking a swipe at the EFCC, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accused the Federal Government of using the freezing of statutory allocations to local governments in Osun State as a political weapon.
The party said the political standoff is no longer just about politicians, but argued that ordinary residents are now bearing the consequences as funds meant for workers’ salaries, primary healthcare, schools and other essential grassroots services remained tied up in the dispute. The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that withholding of local government funds was part of a wider campaign to weaken Osun State Government before the election.
Abdullahi said, “Political opponents are not enemy combatants. Opposition-controlled states are not occupied territories. Public institutions do not belong to whichever party temporarily controls the Federal Government
“This sinister move confirms that the Tinubu-led Federal Government will do anything, including starving the people of Osun State, to achieve its political objectives. Yet no democracy worthy of the name deliberately sacrifices the welfare of innocent citizens in pursuit of partisan political ends.
“We have noted earlier that President Tinubu’s mentality, which regards political contests as warfare, constitutes a serious threat to democratic engagement. But even in war, there are rules of engagement that recognise human dignity and place limits on the conduct of adversaries.’’
The statement also alleged that some elements within the Nigeria Police had protected armed groups involved in acts of political intimidation, saying such actions, if established, would blur the line between the impartial authority of the state and partisan political interests.
“Taken together, these actions reveal something more dangerous than ordinary political competition. They point to the deliberate promotion of a state of anarchy by federal authorities and agencies whose constitutional duty is to preserve law, order, and democratic stability,’’ Abdullahi said.
Many lawyers have also weighed in on the reported freezing of Osun State government’s account by the Federal Government, calling for strict adherence to the rule of law.
The lawyers said the Federal and the Osun State governments must handle the issue with caution to avoid inflaming tensions in the state, which is only about 10 days from its scheduled governorship election.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Kunle Edun, while condemning the action some days before the election, said no court would grant such an order.
Edun added that such action was capable of shutting down the state, noting that the optics created by the decision were very bad.
Edun said: “This is not good news. The Osun State gubernatorial election is days ahead and to now hear that the EFCC has frozen the bank accounts of Osun State government. What is the intention?
‘’I want to believe that no court will grant such an order because freezing such accounts amounts to shutting down the entire state. The optics created by this ill-advised decision are very bad. “The legality of EFCC interfering in how state governments manage their funds has been the subject of appellate decisions which do not support the action of the EFCC.
‘’It is a desecration of the principle of federalism for a federal agency to stop the management of the finances of a state government without the consent of any of the organs of the State government.”
Yet another lawyer, Mr Chukwuma Omezie, said the EFCC’s action raised serious constitutional and legal concerns, noting that it must obtain court orders to freeze accounts. Omezie said, “The reported freezing of Osun State’s salary account by the EFCC, coming just days before the governorship election, raises serious constitutional and legal concerns.
“While the EFCC has statutory powers to investigate financial crimes and, where necessary, obtain court orders to freeze accounts linked to suspected illicit funds, such powers must be exercised strictly in accordance with due process and without creating the impression of political interference. If the action was backed by a valid court order based on credible evidence of financial misconduct, it would be difficult to fault the Commission purely because of the timing. However, if the freeze affects the payment of workers’ salaries or essential government functions, especially in the heat of an election, the EFCC owes the public a clear explanation to dispel allegations of selective enforcement or abuse of power.’’
Mr Evans Ufeli, another legal practitioner said the move smacked of executive recklessness and undermined public trust.
Ufeli, however, urged the anti-graft agency to exercise caution and ensure its interventions do not punish innocent citizens. Ufeli said, “Freezing Osun State’s salary account by the EFCC just days before the governorship election smacks of executive recklessness and undermines public trust. Such actions disrupt workers’ livelihoods and can be interpreted as politically motivated interference rather than genuine accountability. The EFCC should exercise caution and ensure its interventions do not destabilise democratic processes or punish innocent citizens.”
In like manner, numerous other lawyers slammed the EFCC and the Federal Government for the illicit act they said had no legal backing. Some argued that it was an attempt to prosecute a sitting governor who enjoys immunity through the backdoor. The backlash prompted President Tinubu to issue an order to the ECFF to unfreeze the Osun Government account, an action that has raised further controversies with many wondering how the President can issue an order to an independent agency of the Federal Government. Many claimed that the EFCC is at the beck and call of President Tinubu, and he can manipulate the agency to his own and his party’s advantage.
President Tinubu directed the EFCC to immediately approach the court to vacate the order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. However, many analysts insisted that there was no court order before the freeze because no court would grant such order against a sitting governor with immunity.
The President said he was deeply embarrassed by the timing of the EFCC’s action especially when the state’s governorship election will hold in few days’ time.
Tinubu said, “It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts 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. This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.
“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. I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law.
“As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval. Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers. While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene.
“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.
“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.
“Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard”.
The Osun State Government rejected the EFCC’s position that its bank accounts were frozen over alleged “diversion of N11 billion ecological and intervention funds,” insisting that the Commission’s action was politically-motivated.
Also, former vice-president and presidential candidate of the ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, described EFCC’s action as an assault on democracy, warning that public institutions must not be turned into political weapons against opposition parties.
Furthermore, the ADC said President Tinubu’s directive to the EFCC, to reverse the freezing order had undermined claims that the anti-graft agency operates independent of the Presidency.
An ADC House of Assembly candidate for Eti-Osa Constituency II, Lagos, Ayodele Adio, has criticised the statement attributed to the Presidency directing the EFCC to vacate what it described as a court order suspending the accounts of the Osun State government, describing the claim as misleading and legally untenable.
However, the EFCC has insisted that its temporary restriction on an Osun State Government bank account was lawful and backed by provisions of the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, an indication that no court order may have been obtained before the action.
