Why Tinubu Called Adeleke After Directing EFCC to Unfreez Osun Account — Onanuga

Why Tinubu Called Adeleke After Directing EFCC to Unfreez Osun Account — Onanuga

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday spoke with Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke after directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take steps to lift the court order freezing the state government’s accounts.

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a post on X, stating that Tinubu personally informed Adeleke of his directive.

According to Onanuga, the President told the governor that he had instructed the EFCC to withdraw the court order that resulted in the freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts.

The development followed Tinubu’s earlier expression of concern over the timing of the EFCC’s action. The President said he was embarrassed by the development because actions taken by federal institutions are often attributed to the Presidency.

Tinubu said the EFCC obtained the court order on August 5, 2026, to freeze the accounts of the Osun State Government.

“It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. I am deeply embarrassed, not by the EFCC’s exercise of its lawful mandate, but by the timing of the action,” the President said.

He explained that he had yet to receive a comprehensive briefing on the circumstances surrounding the EFCC’s application for the order but considered the timing inappropriate and requiring presidential intervention.

The President, however, reaffirmed his commitment to allowing government institutions to discharge their constitutional responsibilities independently.

He stressed that institutional independence must be exercised with sound judgment and due regard for the broader public interest.

Tinubu’s intervention came amid heightened political and public attention following the freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts, which had triggered concerns over its potential implications for the administration of the state.

Onanuga’s disclosure of the President’s telephone conversation with Adeleke further clarified that Tinubu personally communicated his decision to intervene in the matter to the Osun governor.