Tensions have escalated sharply in Osun State ahead of the upcoming August 15 governorship election following a high-profile standoff over the state government’s financial accounts, prompting strong warnings from campaign officials and political figures regarding institutional neutrality.
​The controversy began on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) issued an order placing a “Post-No-Debit” restriction on the primary transaction accounts of the Osun State Government, including key operational accounts used for state payroll and service delivery at First Bank.
​According to an official letter signed by the EFCC Director of Investigation, Adenike Babalola, and a subsequent press briefing by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the anti-graft agency acted pursuant to Section 38 of the EFCC Act 2004. The commission stated the account freeze was necessary to halt “precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds” amounting to N11 billion involving Ecology, Intervention, and FAAC allocations.
​The move immediately triggered fierce backlash from the state government and campaign organizations. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon in Osogbo, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke condemned the action as unconstitutional and politically motivated, instructing the Attorney General of the State, Barrister Jimi Bada (SAN), to immediately file a legal challenge at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.
​Concurrently, the Imole Campaign Council (TICC) strongly faulted the commission’s action. In an official statement issued in Osogbo on Thursday, August 6, 2026, the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, Mr. Bamidele Salam, described the freezing as a clear attempt to paralyse the state administration and influence the outcome of the gubernatorial poll.
​”Nothing other than politics can explain the decision to freeze government accounts days before an election in which the incumbent is a candidate. Anti-corruption efforts should not be weaponized as a tool for political persecution,” Salam stated.
​Amid growing national outcry and mounting fears of institutional interference, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened on Thursday, August 6, ordering the EFCC to immediately vacate the freeze order to preserve public confidence and ensure a level playing field for the August 15 election.
Despite the reversal, opposition figures and campaign organizers insist that the incident represents part of a concerning pattern of political pressure. They are demanding explicit assurances from federal law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies that state institutions will remain neutral and refrain from actions that could destabilize the democratic process as voters prepare to go to the polls.
