Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, has condemned the freezing of the state’s bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing the action as illegal and a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Adeleke said the state government received a letter from its banker informing it of the EFCC’s directive to freeze the account without obtaining a court order.
The governor alleged that the action was part of a series of intimidatory measures targeted at his administration and members of the Accord political movement in the state.
According to him, Osun has in recent months experienced what he described as the deliberate paralysis of the local government system, attacks on residents, repeated police raids, and the arrest of Accord leaders without warrants.
Adeleke further alleged that about 60 Accord members had been arrested and taken to Abuja, where they were being detained without charges, while several others had been killed.
He accused former Governor Gboyega Oyetola of orchestrating the alleged intimidation over what he described as an election “his candidate cannot win.”
The governor maintained that the freezing of the state’s account without judicial authorization violated constitutional provisions and undermined the rule of law.
“We are supposed to be in a democracy where the rule of law must always prevail. We will not accept a situation where federal agencies trample on the constitutional rights of subnational governments,” he said.
Adeleke called on the Chairman of the EFCC to publicly explain the reasons behind the decision to freeze the Osun State Government account and provide evidence to justify the action.
He warned that such actions, if left unchecked, could erode Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
The governor disclosed that he had directed the Osun State Attorney-General to challenge the EFCC’s action at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
Despite the development, Adeleke said his administration and political associates would remain focused, stressing that his campaign activities would continue uninterrupted.
The EFCC had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
