Adeleke Challenges EFCC Over Osun Account Freeze

(Ademola Adeleke. Photo Credit: Punch News)

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has publicly challenged the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to provide justification for freezing the state government’s accounts, characterising the action as an illegality executed without judicial authorisation that undermines democratic governance.

Speaking to journalists at the state government house on Wednesday, the governor asserted that the anti-graft agency’s move was undertaken in violation of constitutional procedures and would not be accepted.

The governor alleged that the account freeze was orchestrated at the instigation of a political opponent unable to secure electoral victory, and that a cascade of intimidation campaigns targeting the state have been coordinated toward this objective.

He stated that notification of the account freeze arrived through correspondence from the state’s banker transmitting a directive from the EFCC, executed without court order or legal grounding.

The governor emphasised that democratic governance fundamentally depends on adherence to the rule of law and that allowing federal agencies to circumvent constitutional protections for subnational governments constitutes an existential threat to democratic institutions.

He demanded the EFCC chairman publicly explain the rationale for the freeze and produce evidentiary support, cautioning that permitting such unconstitutional action would progressively erode the remaining foundations of democratic practice.

The governor instructed his Attorney General to mount a legal challenge at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.

When questioned regarding whether state officials had been summoned for questioning prior to the freeze, the governor indicated that numerous government functionaries had previously been invited by the EFCC, questioned, and subsequently cleared before the agency proceeded to freeze government accounts.

The state Attorney General corroborated the governor’s account, confirming receipt of a mandate to pursue legal action. He noted that a post-no-debit directive from the EFCC was transmitted to the bank housing state government accounts on Wednesday.

The Attorney General emphasised that whilst the anti-graft agency possesses investigative authority over such accounts, it lacks legal capacity to freeze them absent judicial order.

He warned that the action would impede state operational functions but pledged to challenge the measure and ensure compliance with legal frameworks.

The state Finance Commissioner alleged that police operatives had entered the principal bank branch in the state capital and detained bank personnel.

He also refuted suggestions that state resources were being deployed for gubernatorial reelection campaigns, urging the anti-graft agency to consider the ramifications of its action on residents’ welfare.

The governor had previously issued alarm that the EFCC was planning comprehensive account freezes targeting the state government and senior functionaries.

He characterised such a strategy as lawlessness and stated that freezing state accounts ahead of an August 15 governorship election appeared designed to disable governmental operations.

The governor asserted there exists neither legal foundation nor justification for such action and declared that the anti-graft agency possesses no statutory authority to freeze state government accounts.