Peter Obi calls out EFCC over Osun account freeze, and he is right

Peter Obi has finally said what many of us have been thinking since the EFCC froze the Osun State Government accounts just days before the governorship election. In a post on X yesterday, the NDC presidential candidate warned that anti-graft efforts must not become instruments of political intimidation. He questioned the timing, asking why accounts frozen after months of investigation were only sealed now, so close to the election.

This is not about defending Osun or any party. It is about the principle that state institutions must be seen to be impartial. Obi stated, "democratic institutions must not only be impartial but must also be seen to be impartial." That is the crux of it. When the EFCC moves against a state government run by the opposition just before an election, the optics are damning, regardless of the merits of the case.

Some will say Obi is just politicking, that the EFCC has every right to investigate. But the real issue is the pattern. We have seen how agencies get deployed to achieve political goals in this country. If there is evidence of wrongdoing, let them go to court and get proper orders. But do not use state power to shape electoral outcomes. The people of Osun deserve to choose their leaders without institutional interference. Am I the only one that thinks this timing is too convenient?