OSOGBO — Public outrage and accusations of political bias have greeted the decision by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to place a Post-No-Debit order on the Osun State Government’s statutory allocation bank account just days before the state’s upcoming governorship election.
Reactions across social media platforms highlighted growing frustration among citizens and political commentators who questioned the timing and neutrality of the federal agency’s action. Critics pointed out that neighbor states controlled by the ruling party faced no such financial restrictions during their respective electoral cycles, leading to allegations that the federal government is targeting opposition-led states.
In a viral commentary on the matter, social media user Oluwaseyi Adeniyi raised concerns over the impact of the restriction on local administration and public welfare. Adeniyi criticized what he described as selective enforcement, noting that Ekiti State, which held its elections recently under an All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, operated without account restrictions, while over five million residents of Osun are left to bear the burden of administrative disruption.
The anti-graft agency defended its action on Wednesday, stating that the account freeze was necessary to prevent the alleged movement of public funds totaling N11 billion following an investigation into federal allocations and intervention funds. The EFCC maintained that its directives were non-partisan and aimed solely at safeguarding public resources.
However, the Osun State Government strongly rejected the agency’s explanation, describing the move as an unlawful effort to paralyze state operations ahead of the polls. Governor Ademola Adeleke directed the state’s Attorney-General to initiate legal proceedings against the commission, maintaining that the agency lacked the constitutional authority to freeze state government accounts without a valid court order.
