Adeleke Withdraws Suit Against EFCC After Tinubu’s Intervention

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed the state Attorney General to withdraw the suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the freezing of the state government’s bank account.

Adeleke made this known during an interview with Channels Television’s “Sunday Politics”, shortly after he was declared the winner of the August 15 governorship election.

The governor said he was ready to move past the dispute, particularly after President Bola Tinubu intervened in the matter.

“I’m putting them behind. What else do I want? I have instructed my Attorney General to drop it. Mr President has done well. He called me. What more do I want?” Adeleke said.

The Osun government had previously gone to court to challenge the EFCC’s decision to freeze one of its accounts.

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Adeleke had described the action as politically motivated and harmful to the operations of his administration.

The EFCC had restricted the account as part of an investigation into the handling of about ₦11 billion in Ecology Funds, intervention funds and FAAC allocations.

The commission said it discovered suspicious transactions and froze the account to prevent further movement of the funds while investigations continued.

The dispute intensified ahead of the governorship election, with Adeleke accusing the anti-graft agency of attempting to disrupt his administration.

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President Tinubu later directed the EFCC to lift the restriction and return to court to withdraw the related legal action.

He said the timing of the freeze could create the impression that a federal agency was being used to influence the election.

Speaking about EFCC invitations issued to some of his aides and supporters, Adeleke said he had asked his lawyers to assist anyone called in for questioning.

The governor said those invited had nothing to hide and should cooperate with investigators.

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“Well, we have been talking. I have been calling all my lawyers to go there. I’m sure the APC in Osun, according to them, they are telling us they are using federal might,” he said.

Adeleke also suggested that some of the actions by federal agencies might have been carried out without the President’s knowledge.

“Most of these things, the President doesn’t know. The President has a lot of foreign work and jobs to do,” he said.

According to him, some of his aides were questioned by the EFCC and later allowed to leave after investigators found no evidence of wrongdoing.

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“I told my people, go there. We haven’t got anything to hide. And when they go there, they ask them questions, and then they will say, ‘Go on.’ Can you imagine my spokesperson? You are inviting my spokesperson — is my spokesperson a finance minister or accountant?” Adeleke asked.

Adeleke described the EFCC invitations as a distraction and alleged that former Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola was connected to the development because of his relationship with President Tinubu.

He claimed Oyetola had been using the President’s name but maintained that Tinubu was not aware of the EFCC action.

Adeleke said the President’s decision to intervene showed that he had not been aware of the matter before being informed.

“All these things is Oyetola because he is the cousin to the President. He is dropping the President’s name. I know that the President didn’t know about the EFCC one. That is why he had to call me and stop it,” Adeleke said.

With the election now concluded and his legal challenge against the EFCC set to be withdrawn, Adeleke said he was prepared to focus on governing Osun and move beyond the dispute.

ALSO READ: Tinubu Orders EFCC To Unfreeze Osun Accounts Ahead Of Guber Election

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