ADC Criticises Tinubu’s EFCC Osun Reversal as the opposition party questions the President’s explanation and calls for transparency over the account freeze
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to reverse the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) action against the Osun State Government, claiming the move followed public pressure rather than a voluntary intervention.
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The opposition party made the claim in a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, who welcomed the reversal but argued that the President’s explanation raised further questions about the relationship between the Presidency and anti-corruption agencies.
The controversy began after the EFCC moved to freeze the accounts of the Osun State Government, a decision that triggered political debate because it occurred close to the state’s governorship election.
President Tinubu later directed the commission to return to court, seek the vacation of the order and discontinue the action, a move the ADC acknowledged but described as insufficiently explained.
Abdullahi said the President’s statement was “curious and unusual”, particularly because of Tinubu’s reference to a court order authorising the account freeze.
According to the ADC spokesman, the EFCC had not previously stated publicly that a court order was behind the action, instead referring to its statutory powers and preventive mandate.
“The President’s statement has raised far more troubling questions than it answers,” Abdullahi said.
He questioned how the President obtained information about an alleged court order if the EFCC had not highlighted such an order in its public defence of the action.
The ADC argued that if a court order existed, the EFCC should have disclosed it when explaining its position to Nigerians. The party also questioned why the commission did not mention the order during a television appearance by its spokesperson.
Abdullahi said the situation suggested either that the President had been poorly briefed or that facts had been presented inaccurately.
The party further argued that Tinubu’s directive to stop the EFCC action raised concerns about the independence and neutrality of anti-corruption institutions.
According to the ADC, the EFCC would not have taken what it described as a controversial step without believing that it had sufficient backing from the Federal Government.
The party maintained that the episode demonstrated the need for greater transparency in the operations of government agencies, particularly those responsible for enforcing financial and criminal laws.
The Presidency has defended the decision to reverse the EFCC action, while President Tinubu said he was not fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the move before directing that it be discontinued.
The EFCC has maintained that its activities are guided by its legal mandate and responsibility to investigate suspected financial crimes.
The dispute has continued to generate political reactions, with opposition parties and civil society groups calling for explanations on how the account freeze was initiated and whether adequate safeguards were followed.
Also read: Osun Guber: Accord Raises Alarm Over Alleged Plot to Disrupt Election Through Materials Theft
Analysts say the controversy highlights the delicate balance between aggressive anti-corruption enforcement and the need to preserve public confidence in government institutions, especially during politically sensitive periods.
