Osun Election: Reps minority caucus accuses Tinubu of using federal agencies to intimidate state

Nigeria's House of Representatives Minority Caucus accused President Bola Tinubu of attempting to use federal institutions to intimidate the Osun State Government ahead of a crucial governorship election. The opposition lawmakers described the president's directive to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to vacate a court order freezing the state's bank accounts as a "panicky, belated afterthought."

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panicky, belated afterthought.

In a statement jointly signed by Minority Leader Fredrick Agbedi and caucus spokesperson Afam Ogene, the lawmakers alleged that the president's intervention was prompted by public criticism rather than a commitment to the rule of law. They argued that the directive exposed contradictions within the federal government and raised questions about the legality of the anti-graft agency's actions.

The controversy began when the EFCC moved to freeze Osun State's bank accounts as part of an investigation, sparking criticism from opposition politicians and the state government, which deemed the action politically motivated. President Tinubu subsequently directed the EFCC to seek the vacation of the court order, stating that democratic governance requires elected governments to function without unnecessary disruption.

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So, which is it? Was there a court order or not?

However, the minority caucus highlighted conflicting accounts from the EFCC and the Presidency regarding the legal basis for freezing the accounts. They questioned how the EFCC spokesperson's statement about freezing accounts "without a valid court order" could be reconciled with the president's subsequent instruction to approach the court to vacate the order. "So, which is it? Was there a court order or not?" the statement asked, also questioning the president's awareness of his appointees' actions.

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Is the President not aware of what his own appointees are saying and doing? Has the President lost control to his army of sycophants who behave like lords over the people? Or are they simply trying to hide an illegality that has already been exposed?