The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen an Osun State government account sitting with First Bank. It is reportedly used to house and pay state workers’ salaries. The freeze came just ten days before the state’s governorship election on August 15.
Documents obtained by Vanguard confirmed the restriction. The account now carries a “Post No Debit” order. This means no money can leave the account: no withdrawals, no transfers. Nothing!
Governor Ademola Adeleke had already predicted this would happen when he spoke out days earlier. He alleged that the EFCC planned to freeze Osun State accounts. He also said top officials would also be targeted in a political move. Many dismissed his claims as electioneering, but the documents and account freeze suggest he was right.
Kolapo Alimi, the state’s Commissioner for Information, reacted swiftly. He described the freeze as an attempt to disrupt government operations but also said the timing was suspicious. He further implied the motive was political.
Adeleke went further to argue that the EFCC lacks the legal authority to freeze a state government’s account. He called the action unjustified and insisted no court order supported it. His administration has, however, vowed to fight back.
A source close to the governor confirmed the freeze. The official spoke anonymously.
“I can confirm that the state government account has been frozen by the EFCC. It is no longer an allegation. The governor will address the press shortly to update the public on the situation,” the source said.
There has been no official statement from the EFCC, and the reason for the freeze remains unclear. No charges have been filed publicly. No court order has been shown to the public, as the silence from the anti-graft agency is deafening.
Osun State workers may feel the impact first, as their salaries are due soon. The frozen account handles those payments, and if the restriction persists, civil servants could go unpaid. That would cause hardship across the state, and it would also hand Adeleke’s opponents a talking point.
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The governor faces a tough re-election battle as his main challenger is Gboyega Oyetola. Oyetola is a former governor who lost to Adeleke in 2022. He wants his governorship seat back.
The Politics of Freezing: How EFCC Freezes Became an Election Weapon
The EFCC was established in 2003 with a focus mandate to fight financial crimes. Over the years, it has investigated governors, ministers, and business tycoons. Critics say it has become a political weapon. They point to selective prosecution and note that opposition figures face more scrutiny than allies.
Osun State has seen this movie before. In 2018, the EFCC froze accounts linked to Adeleke’s family during his first run for governor. He lost that election and won the rematch in 2022. Now the anti-graft agency is back. The timing is impossible to ignore.
Adeleke belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the federal government is controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC). This party dynamic fuels suspicion. In Nigeria, anti-graft agencies often target opposition states and rarely touch ruling party governors. The pattern is well documented.
The “Post No Debit” restriction is a powerful tool that paralyzes an account without formally charging anyone. The EFCC has used it frequently, and sometimes it leads to prosecution. Sometimes it is lifted after negotiations, and sometimes it is forgotten entirely.
For Osun workers, the politics matter less than their salaries. They have families to feed, rent to pay, and school fees looming. A frozen account means uncertainty and anxiety and potential suffering.
The courts may ultimately decide this dispute. Adeleke could challenge the freeze. He could argue federal overreach and cite constitutional protections for state funds. But litigation takes time. The election is ten days away. There is no time!
