Less than nine days before the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, political tension has increased after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze some bank accounts belonging to the state government.
The Osun State Government has gone to the Federal High Court to challenge the action.
Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, said Governor Ademola Adeleke approved legal action against the anti graft agency after it directed First Bank to place a “Post No Debit” restriction on several government accounts.
He said the EFCC has the right to investigate the accounts but cannot freeze them without a court order.
According to him, the restriction could disrupt government activities, including salary payments and the delivery of essential public services.
Finance Commissioner Sola Ogungbile also claimed that police officers visited First Bank’s main branch in Osogbo during the incident and arrested some staff members.
He denied allegations that public funds were being used for Governor Adeleke’s re election campaign, insisting that government money was being used only for official purposes.
A letter dated August 5, 2026, showed that the EFCC instructed First Bank to place a “No Post Debit” restriction on one of the state’s accounts under the provisions of the EFCC Act and the Money Laundering Act.
EFCC explains action
The EFCC said the account freeze had nothing to do with the coming election.
In a statement by its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, the commission said it had been investigating the Osun State Government since March 2026 over the alleged mismanagement of about N11 billion from Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and FAAC allocations.
It said several officials, including the Accountant General, had already been questioned.
According to the EFCC, it noticed large transfers from government accounts into several corporate accounts from August 2 and decided to freeze the accounts to stop what it described as suspicious transactions.
The commission insisted that it was only carrying out its legal responsibility to protect public funds and denied acting for political reasons.
APC petitions EFCC, ICPC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun has asked the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate alleged vote buying by the state government.
In a statement by the Chairman of its Media Committee, Remi Omowaye, the party claimed the Adeleke administration was using public money to influence voters.
The APC alleged that residents were being asked to submit their bank account details to receive N20,000 payments ahead of the election.
It called on both anti corruption agencies to investigate the allegations.
ADC reacts
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused President Bola Tinubu of using government institutions to weaken the opposition before the election.
The party alleged that the Federal Government was also withholding statutory allocations meant for local governments in Osun.
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the situation could affect salary payments, healthcare, education and other public services.
The party urged the Federal Government to restore the allocations and allow the people of Osun to vote freely.
Adeleke campaign condemns EFCC
The Imole Campaign Council described the freezing of the accounts as an “economic coup.”
Its Media and Publicity Committee Chairman, Bamidele Salam, said the EFCC’s action could stop the state government from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities, including paying salaries, pensions and funding public services.
The campaign council called on the anti graft agency to immediately lift the restriction.
Stakeholders express concern
Veteran journalist Liadi Tella advised Nigerians not to rush to judgment, saying the EFCC may have acted on intelligence available to it.
He, however, warned that no political party should use public funds for election purposes.
Osun PDP Chairman Sunday Bisi described the account freeze as part of a wider campaign against Governor Adeleke’s re election.
President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Debo Adeniran, said the EFCC’s action could only be justified if backed by strong evidence of financial wrongdoing.
Former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George, urged President Tinubu to avoid actions that could increase political tension.
PDP South West Vice Chairman, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, also argued that freezing a state’s accounts just days before an election could damage public confidence in the electoral process.
Singer Davido, who is Governor Adeleke’s cousin and Chairman of the Imole Youth Campaign Mobilisation Team, appealed to all political actors to maintain peace.
He urged Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma not to allow Osun become a political battleground and called on everyone to reject violence and intimidation.
Political tension grows
Observers say the account freeze is the latest development in a series of political disputes in Osun.
The state has faced disagreements over local government administration, court judgments, access to local government funds, allegations of harassment, attacks on party supporters and disputes over campaign billboards.
Political parties have continued to accuse one another of intimidation and violence, while security agencies insist they are acting according to the law.
Police deploy 15,000 officers
The Nigeria Police Force has deployed at least 15,000 personnel for the August 15 governorship election.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, Samuel Erale Etaifo, said the deployment was necessary because of rising political tension and recent violent incidents.
He warned politicians, security personnel and party supporters against violating the Electoral Act, adding that anyone arrested for election offences would be taken to Abuja for further investigation.
Etaifo said the deployment includes conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force personnel, specialists, dog units and medical teams to ensure a peaceful and credible election.