EFCC freezes Osun state account 10 days to election, Adeleke cries foul

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has directed First Bank Plc to place a Post-No-Debit restriction on the Osun State Government Statutory Allocation Account, effectively freezing it just 10 days before the August 15 governorship election. The directive, dated August 5, 2026, was contained in a letter signed by Adenike S. Babalola for the Director of Investigation, referencing the account number 2017170947.

Governor Ademola Adeleke had earlier that same day raised the alarm, with his Commissioner for Information, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, stating: "Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has raised an alarm over credible reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has concluded plans to freeze all Osun State government accounts." The governor insisted there is no legal basis for the action, saying the EFCC lacks constitutional powers to freeze a state government account.

This is not about whether Adeleke is clean or not. The timing is the problem. Freezing a state's entire statutory allocation days before an election, under a classified letter marked under the Official Secrets Act, does not look like fighting corruption. It looks like a political weapon. If the EFCC has evidence, let them charge someone in court. Why paralyse a whole state government and its workers? Is this how we now conduct elections in Nigeria?