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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has questioned the independence of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to vacate the order freezing the Osun State Government’s bank accounts.
The opposition party also asked Tinubu to disclose the court order he referred to, noting that the EFCC had consistently defended the account freeze on the basis of its statutory powers without publicly stating that it had obtained judicial approval.
Tinubu on Thursday directed the EFCC to return to court and withdraw the order freezing the accounts. He said that while the commission acted within its legal powers, the timing, coming days before the August 15 governorship election, was inappropriate.
The president said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the development because actions by federal agencies are often associated with the presidency. He added that no government action should create the impression that the government was trying to influence the Osun election.
Before Tinubu’s intervention, the EFCC had defended the account freeze, saying it was investigating the alleged diversion of ecological and intervention funds by the Osun government and had identified suspicious transactions.
EFCC Director of Public Affairs Wilson Uwujaren described the action as routine and politically neutral, citing the commission’s restriction of Edo State Government accounts ahead of the 2024 governorship election.
Reacting in a statement on Thursday, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi welcomed Tinubu’s directive but said the president’s explanation had created further questions.
6 AUGUST 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEADC TO TINUBU: WHICH COURT ORDER DID YOU DIRECT EFCC TO VACATE?
– Says president’s press statement curious, unusual.The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to reverse the freezing of the Osun… pic.twitter.com/YawqixN7ra
— African Democratic Congress (@ADCNig) August 6, 2026
Abdullahi questioned Tinubu’s reference to a court order, saying the EFCC had never mentioned obtaining such an order in its public statements on the matter.
He said the commission had instead consistently justified its action through its statutory and preventive powers, raising questions about how the president knew of an alleged court order and why the EFCC had not disclosed it.
The ADC spokesman said the situation left two possibilities: either Tinubu had been given incorrect information, or the president had presented inaccurate facts to the public.
“What we find most curious about the statement is the President’s repeated reference to an alleged court order authorising the freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts,” he said.
“If no such order exists, why would the president introduce one into the public narrative? It is either the president was misinformed or he had chosen to misrepresent the facts. Either possibility is deeply disturbing, ” he added.
The party also argued that Tinubu’s admission that he directed the EFCC to withdraw the matter appeared inconsistent with claims that anti-corruption agencies operate independently.
According to Abdullahi, if the president could direct the EFCC to return to court and discontinue proceedings because of concerns about the political implications of its action, it suggested that presidential influence could extend to other operational decisions of the commission.
He said the development therefore undermined the argument that Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies operate entirely independently.
