The Osun State Government says it will challenge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in court after the anti-graft agency reportedly placed a restriction on the state’s bank accounts, a move officials argue could disrupt government operations just days before the August 15 governorship election.
Speaking on Wednesday, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, said Governor Ademola Adeleke had authorised legal action against the EFCC, insisting the commission lacked the legal authority to freeze a state government’s accounts without first obtaining a court order.
According to Jimi-Bada, the EFCC issued a “Post No Debit” directive to First Bank, where several Osun State government accounts are domiciled.
“I have the mandate of the governor to approach the Federal High Court to challenge this action,” he said.
“The EFCC is free to investigate any account, but it cannot freeze government accounts without an order of a competent court. This action could seriously affect government activities, and we will ensure the agency acts within the bounds of the law.”
The Attorney General maintained that the state government would seek judicial intervention to reverse the restriction, arguing that the measure could hinder the delivery of essential public services.
Supporting the government’s position, Commissioner for Finance Sola Ogungbile alleged that police officers visited the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo and arrested some bank staff, although no official confirmation of the alleged arrests was immediately available.
Ogungbile also dismissed suggestions that state funds were being used to finance Governor Adeleke’s re-election campaign, urging the EFCC to consider the wider impact any account restrictions could have on governance and public welfare.
Earlier on Wednesday, Governor Adeleke had raised concerns over what he described as an alleged plan by the EFCC to freeze not only state government accounts but also those of senior government officials.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the governor described the reported move as unlawful and politically sensitive, arguing that it was intended to cripple government activities ahead of the forthcoming governorship election.
“The plot to freeze the state government’s accounts is meant to paralyse government activities ahead of the August 15 governorship election,” the statement said.
The governor further argued that the EFCC has no constitutional authority to freeze a state government’s accounts without due judicial process.
As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not publicly responded to the allegations or confirmed the reported restriction on the state’s accounts.
The dispute adds a fresh legal and political dimension to the build-up to the Osun governorship election, with attention now likely to shift to the courts as the state government seeks to challenge the EFCC’s actions.
