The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly frozen a bank account belonging to the Osun State Government, a development that has sparked fresh political tension just ten days before the state’s governorship election scheduled for August 15.
Documents seen by multiple sources indicate that the affected account, domiciled with First Bank and reportedly used for the payment of workers’ salaries, has been placed on “Post No Debit” status, effectively preventing withdrawals and other debit transactions.
The move came only hours after Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, publicly alleged that the anti-graft agency was planning to freeze the state’s bank accounts as well as those of top government officials.
In a statement issued on Wednesday through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the governor condemned the reported action, describing it as an attempt to cripple the operations of his administration at a critical period leading up to the governorship election.
According to the statement, the state government questioned the legality of the EFCC’s action, insisting that the commission has no statutory authority to freeze the accounts of a state government without due legal process.
Adeleke argued that the move lacked any legal justification and warned that it could disrupt governance, particularly the payment of salaries and other essential government obligations.
The governor further maintained that freezing government accounts during an election period could have far-reaching consequences for public service delivery and the welfare of civil servants across the state.
A source close to the governor, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly on the matter, confirmed that the account restriction had already taken effect.
“I can confirm that the state government account has been frozen by the EFCC. It is no longer an allegation. The governor will address the press shortly to update the public on the situation,” the source said.
The source added that the state government was assessing the implications of the account restriction while preparing its official response to the development.
The reported freezing of the account has intensified concerns over the political atmosphere in Osun State ahead of the governorship election, with observers expected to closely monitor the fallout from the action and any legal or administrative steps that may follow.
As of the time of filing this report, the EFCC had not released an official statement confirming or explaining the account restriction. Consequently, the exact reason for the action remains unclear, leaving questions over the circumstances surrounding the decision unanswered.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The reported freezing of the Osun State Government’s salary account by the EFCC has heightened political tensions ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with the state government questioning the legality of the action while the anti-graft agency has yet to explain the reason behind the restriction.
