Adeleke Drags EFCC to Court Over Freeze of Osun Government Accounts
By Waliu Adetokun, Osogbo
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of unlawfully freezing the state’s bank accounts without a court order, describing the action as an assault on democracy and the constitutional rights of the state government.
Speaking at a press conference in Osogbo on Wednesday, the governor alleged that the directive was communicated to the state through its bankers, who forwarded a letter from the anti-graft agency instructing them to place a restriction on the government’s accounts.
According to Adeleke, the development is part of what he described as a series of politically motivated actions targeted at his administration and members of the Accord Party ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
He alleged that the state had, in recent months, witnessed the paralysis of the local government system, repeated attacks on residents, and the harassment and arrest of Accord members by security agencies.
The governor further claimed that more than 60 members of the party had been arrested and taken to Abuja, where they were allegedly being detained without being charged to court, while several others had lost their lives.
Adeleke accused former Governor Gboyega Oyetola of being behind what he described as the intimidation of his administration and supporters.
“This morning, we received a letter from our banker forwarding a letter from the EFCC instructing the bank to freeze the Osun State Government account. This action was taken without any court order,” the governor said.
He maintained that the action violated the rule of law and posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“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. This is a threat to our democracy. If we all keep quiet and allow this illegality, very soon whatever is left of our democracy will be fully eroded,” Adeleke stated.
The governor called on the Chairman of the EFCC to publicly explain the reasons for the decision to freeze the state’s accounts and provide evidence to justify the action.
“All I ask is for the EFCC Chairman to explain to the good people of Osun State and Nigerians in general why he froze the Osun State Government account and show proof to support whatever reason he presents,” he said.
Adeleke disclosed that he had directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to challenge the action at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
“I have instructed my Attorney-General to challenge this illegality at the Federal High Court, Osogbo,” he said.
The governor, however, insisted that the development would not affect his political activities, declaring that his administration and campaign would continue unabated.
“As for me, we are pushing ahead with our campaign,” Adeleke added.