Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has announced his intention to challenge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over its decision to freeze the state government’s bank accounts. He condemned the action as unconstitutional, unlawful, and a direct affront to democratic governance in Nigeria.
Governor Adeleke emphasized that such measures undermine the principles of federalism and pose a serious threat to the smooth functioning of government institutions, vowing to pursue legal redress to safeguard the rights and interests of the people of Osun State.
Addressing journalists in Osogbo on Wednesday, the governor disclosed that the state government received a letter from its banker notifying it of an EFCC directive placing the account under a “Post No Debit” restriction.
Adeleke alleged that the anti-graft agency issued the directive without obtaining a court order, insisting that the action violated the constitutional rights of the Osun State Government.
The governor linked the development to what he described as sustained political intimidation against his administration and members of the Accord Party ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
According to him, the state has witnessed the paralysis of the local government system, repeated police raids, arrests of party leaders, and attacks on supporters.
He claimed that several Accord Party members had been killed, while about 60 members were arrested and transferred to Abuja where they remain in detention without formal charges.
The governor further accused former Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, of orchestrating the alleged harassment through federal agencies because, according to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate “cannot win” the forthcoming governorship election.
“This action was taken without any court order. 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 sub-national governments,” Adeleke said.
Describing the freezing of the state account as “a threat to democracy,” the governor warned that allowing such actions to go unchallenged could further erode democratic institutions in the country.
He challenged the Chairman of the EFCC to publicly explain the legal basis for freezing the Osun State Government account and provide evidence to justify the action.
Adeleke announced that the state government had directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Oluwole Jimi-Bada, to institute legal proceedings at the Federal High Court in Osogbo to challenge the directive.
Despite the development, the governor maintained that his administration and the Accord Party would remain focused on the governorship campaign, declaring that the alleged intimidation would not distract them from seeking re-election.
He also called on Nigerians to defend democratic principles and the rule of law against what he described as growing abuses of power.
