Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has alleged that former governor Gboyega Oyetola was responsible for the freezing of the state government’s account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Adeleke made the allegation amid a growing dispute over the restriction placed on the state’s statutory allocation account shortly before the August 15 governorship election. The development had triggered a political controversy, with the Osun government accusing the anti-graft agency of attempting to disrupt its activities.
The governor’s position comes after the EFCC said it restricted the account over concerns about the alleged fraudulent handling of N11 billion in ecological and intervention funds. The commission said it had been investigating the state government since March and had observed substantial transfers to various corporate entities during the probe.
The Osun government, however, rejected the allegations and maintained that the account restriction was politically motivated. The state’s Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, alleged that the action was connected to efforts to prevent the government from paying workers’ palliatives.
The controversy intensified after President Bola Tinubu directed the EFCC to vacate the order freezing the accounts. Tinubu said the timing of the action, coming just days before the governorship election, was inappropriate and could create the impression that a federal agency was being used to influence the poll.
EFCC officials have maintained that the agency acted within its legal powers and denied targeting the Osun government for political reasons. The commission also said similar measures had been taken during previous elections, including in Edo State, where it said the intervention helped preserve funds for the incoming administration.
The issue is significant because the dispute touches on state financial autonomy, anti-corruption enforcement and political neutrality ahead of elections.
The Osun government has since taken legal action against the EFCC, asking the Federal High Court to declare the account freeze unlawful and seeking N2 billion in damages.
The competing claims remain subject to legal and official determination as the political fallout from the Osun election continues.
