By BONIFACE AKARAH

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately return to court to vacate an order freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government, saying the timing of the action, coming days before the state's governorship election, could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

The President gave the directive in a personally signed statement issued from the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after learning that the anti-graft agency had secured a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the state's accounts.

Tinubu said although he respects the statutory independence of the EFCC, he was "deeply embarrassed" by the timing of the agency's action because Nigerians often attribute the actions of federal institutions directly to the Presidency.

"I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC's exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency's action," the President said.

He stressed that since assuming office, he had deliberately refrained from interfering in the operations of anti-corruption agencies, insisting that democratic institutions must be allowed to carry out their responsibilities independently and professionally.

"Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference," Tinubu stated.

The President noted that although he had yet to be fully briefed on the circumstances that informed the EFCC's decision to seek the court order, he considered its timing inappropriate given the proximity of the Osun governorship election.

"Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the Federal Government is being used to interfere with the election," he said.

Tinubu maintained that preserving public confidence in the integrity and fairness of the democratic process outweighed every other consideration in the circumstances.

Accordingly, he directed the anti-graft agency to immediately reverse its legal action against the state government.

"Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard," the President said.

Tinubu reiterated his commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and allowing agencies of government to perform their statutory duties, while emphasising that such actions must always inspire public confidence in the country's democratic system.